Cullen's Anatomy
by LisaDawn75
Summary: Bella is a down on her luck single mom whose son has a severe medical condition. Edward is a medical student whose ethic project is to help Bella and her son find medical care. Neither are too happy with the arrangement and can they work together? AH, BX
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Bella Swan is a down on her luck, single mom whose son suffers from an extreme medical condition. Edward Cullen is a medical student who is assigned to help Bella and her son find affordable medical care as an ethics project. Needless to say, he's not too happy about the assignment as he would prefer to focus on what he feels is important, and Bella is not thrilled with a snobby medical student butting into her life. Will they be able to get along so Edward can get his project done and Bella's son the medical attention he needs, or will they end up hating each other on the way?**

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks to all of those on Facebook that loved the teaser and requested more. This chapter is for you! You can follow me on Facebook under LisaDawn Fanfiction and Twitter under (at) LisaDawn75 for updates and teasers.**

**Also, a BIG thanks to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and to my beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. You guys are the best and I love ya both!**

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><p>"I'm sorry, Ms. Swan, but I'm afraid you're just not working out."<p>

Bella felt as if she had suddenly been punched in the gut. "W-what did I do?" she asked, although she was fairly sure she knew the reason that she was being fired from the Thriftway.

Her boss, Mrs. Sweeney, sighed. "Bella, you know how fond we all are of you around here, but you've missed way over your allotted days off, and we've tried to be generous, but it's now impacting your work and our productivity."

"Mrs. Sweeney, please. I know I've missed a lot of work, but it's because Matthew's been so sick. His diabetes has really been acting up lately."

"I know, dear, but that's the problem. We can't count on you to be at work anymore. Have you thought about applying for assistance, so you can stay home with your son?"

Bella felt her expression harden. "I'm not looking for a handout, Mrs. Sweeney."

Her supervisor sighed again. "I understand, but I'm afraid there's nothing else I can do."

Bella nodded and stood up. "I understand, and I am sorry."

"I'm sorry, too."

Bella collected her things and turned her Thriftway apron in, before dashing to her truck in the pouring rain. It had only been misting earlier, but Bella thought the weather situation a metaphor for her own life. When it rained, it poured. She turned onto the road in the downpour and headed toward Forks Elementary School to pick Matthew up.

One more job she had been fired from. It seemed as if she had worked at almost every business in Forks, and she was now ineligible to be rehired at the local grocery store. Her son's condition had caused her to make several trips with him to the emergency room, resulting in her having to call in to work multiple times. The doctors just could not seem to get a handle on his blood sugar levels.

The only family she had was her father, Charlie, the Chief of Police in Forks, but he could not take off of work to take care of Matthew. Matt was her responsibility; she just now needed to figure out her next move.

Bella sat in the pick-up line at the school, waiting for the bell to ring that would signal the end of the day. She shut her truck off, both to turn off the deafening noise of the engine and to conserve gas. What meager savings she had managed to hold on to would now go for paying bills until she could find another job.

Charlie had offered to let her work at the police station as a receptionist and dispatcher, but she had never taken him up on the offer. She thought having to be fired by her father would be the ultimate humiliation, and she did not want to put him in that position. He helped her as much as he could, but he had his own bills to pay.

"Hey, Mom!" Matthew said excitedly as he pulled the creaking door shut on the old model Chevy truck. "You're here early."

Bella forced a smile. "Yeah, I got off of work early."

Matthew sighed, knowing what that meant. "I'm sorry, Mom," he whispered.

Bella pulled into traffic, the roar of the engine thunderous. "Hey. What have I told you? It's not your fault, Matt."

He stared out of the window on the short commute to their apartment. "If I wasn't sick all the time, you wouldn't lose your job."

Bella gritted her teeth. If only they could catch a break. "It's all right. And I'm making your favorite for supper…" she hinted.

That pulled a grin onto Matthew's face. "Pizza?"

She laughed lightly. "You got it. Now, how about homework?"

xXx

Edward Cullen stared blankly at his second year Ethics professor, Dr. Simon. _What the hell kind of assignment is this? _he thought, looking down at the syllabus with in depth instructions on the ethics project due for that semester.

_You will work with an underprivileged male/female and assist him/her and his/her family in medical assessment and treatment of any medical diagnoses, regardless of ability to pay or insurance status. You will then write a twenty page paper describing your experience, the family you were assigned, along with your medical plan to help the family seek medical care and maintain compliance. This assignment is worth 50% of your total grade._

Edward groaned at the idea. While he did not consider himself a snob, he was from an affluent family, and he also knew that most patients who lived under the poverty level were noncompliant with their medical instructions.

It was basically going to be a waste of his precious time.

"Now that everyone has had a chance to review the syllabus and the project for the term, are there any questions?" Dr. Simon asked. He was known across the campus of the University of Washington as someone who supported charities and still practiced medicine at the Free Clinic in Seattle.

Edward was a bit miffed. Why should this man's ideas be forced down their throats? His dream was to become a surgeon, saving lives and healing diseases. However, he was not stupid. His education cost a pretty penny and took much of his young life, when many of his friends had received quick degrees and were out partying it up. He intended to make the most of his education.

And he did not intend to offer indigent care on a regular basis. Occasionally, sure. He understood that life happened. But he could not cover costs if he went into private practice taking only charity cases.

He raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Cullen?"

"Will we be assigned a family, or if not, how will we find one?" he asked, hoping for an easy assignment. He was also taking Pharmacology and different classes on the bodily systems, along with Pathology. He just did not have the time for this project.

"You will be assigned a family through the guidance office. They have a list of people who need our help. You will need to contact them to see who you've been paired up with."

Edward nodded his understanding, making a note in his notebook. _Just one more thing to do._ He determined that he would go by the guidance office when class was finished, so maybe he could get the pick of the litter. The easier, the better.

When the bell rang, he jumped up out of his seat and briskly walked to the brick building about five hundred yards away. He tapped the bell at the counter and was rewarded with the presence of a matronly woman with graying hair.

"Can I help you?"

He explained what he was there to do and asked if he could see the list.

"Sorry, dear, but patient confidentiality. Your professor has already assigned you a family."

_Shit. _"Who is it?" he asked resignedly.

"You'll be working with Isabella Swan and her son, Matthew. Here is their information, and it will be your responsibility to contact her to set up a meeting."

"Will she be expecting my call?"

The older lady nodded. "Yes, she was referred to this program by her social worker, so she knows someone will be calling her."

_Fanfuckingtastic. _"Great, thanks so much," he said in a smooth voice, causing the older woman to flush.

Edward had to take his entertainment wherever he could get it these days.

He walked out to his car and sat inside the new, silver Volvo. He flipped through the information he had just been given and decided to go ahead and get it over with. He really did not have time for this.

He pulled his cell phone out and flipped to her phone number. He dialed the numbers and listened to the ringing on the other end.

Maybe he could get by with a couple of visits. He just prayed this Isabella Swan would be easy to work with.

"Hello?" Bella asked when she answered the phone. She figured she had a few days before her phone was disconnected for nonpayment.

"Ms. Swan?" a velvety smooth voice said.

Bella wondered if this was a collection call, but she knew that blood could not be squeezed from a turnip, so she decided to bite the bullet, even though she could not remember what might be in collections. Maybe she could work out a small payment plan. "Yes, this is Bella Swan."

"Ms. Swan, this is Edward Cullen. I'm a second year medical student and have been assigned to work with you as part of my ethics project for the semester."

_Oh, yeah. _Her caseworker at the Medicaid office had signed her up for some medical assistance through the University of Washington. She was unsure if this doctor-in-training would be able to help her son; no real doctor had been able to yet. "Yes, I remember."

"Oh, um, good. I was wondering if we could set up a time to meet and get started."

She finished sprinkling the cheese on the homemade pizza she was making for dinner. "Sure. When would you like to start?"

"As soon as we can."

_Well, hell, it's not like I have a job. _"How about tomorrow afternoon. I need to spend the morning job hunting."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Sure. I get out of class at four. How about four-thirty?"

"That'll be fine." She gave him her address and hung up, sliding Matthew's favorite meal into the oven of their small, two-bedroom apartment in the Peninsula Apartment complex. It was Section Eight housing, and on the outside, things looked fine, but underneath the fresh paint and new carpet, the building was old and decrepit. Just like a cliché.

She had tried not to be embarrassed when she gave him her address, but part of her could not help it.

xXx

She sat at the table and helped Matthew with his math homework until the pizza was finished. She slid it out of the oven and sliced it up, setting a couple of slices on a plate with a glass of milk on the bar for Matthew. Before they ate, she checked his blood sugar. Ninety-nine. That was good for the day. They ate in companionable silence, with him breaking it every so often to tell her about his day.

Once they finished eating, she gave him his insulin injection, and then put him in the bathtub for his bath.

"Mom?" he asked, while she began soaping his hair.

"Yeah?"

"I know it's my fault you lost your job. If I didn't have di'betes, then you wouldn't have to leave work to take me to the hospital when my sugar goes crazy."

She stroked his cheek and kissed his forehead. "Matt, it's not your fault, and don't you ever think that. You are the most important thing in my life. Jobs come and go."

He kept his brown eyes downcast.

"Matthew, do you hear me?"

He nodded slightly. "Yeah. But I'm still sorry."

She hugged him, not worrying about the water soaking into her shirt. "Don't be, baby. None of this is your fault. Got it?"

He looked up at her, his brown eyes shining. "Okay, Mom."

"I love you, munchkin."

Matthew rolled his eyes. "I love you, too, Mom," he said dramatically exasperated, but with a grin on his face.

xXx

"This is ridiculous," Edward complained to his father regarding his assignment. "How is this supposed to make me into a better doctor?"

Carlisle Cullen smiled at his son and motioned for him to take the chair opposite his desk. Carlisle was a surgeon and Edward's role model.

Edward came from a wealthy family of old money. His father, Carlisle, was an accomplished surgeon who worked at Forks Community Hospital because his wife, Esme, enjoyed small town life over living in the big city. Esme enjoyed interior decorating and had a successful business both in Forks and in the outlying areas.

His older brother, Emmett, played football for the University of Washington on a full scholarship, and many people, including Emmett himself, expected him to be selected in the NFL draft. Jasper, Edward's younger brother, was a freshman at Whitman College in Walla Walla and was studying psychology. Edward was twenty-three and was in his second year of medical school. He knew he had a long way to go, but from the time he could remember, he had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and help people.

"What can I help you with, Edward?" he asked, pride shining through in his voice.

Edward hesitated. He did not want to sound as if he was complaining, but that was exactly what he wanted to do. "It's Dr. Simon and his assignment."

Carlisle leaned back in his chair, his fingers connected in a steeple. "Ah, yes. Dr. Simon and his ethical project of helping the poor and disadvantaged find affordable and quality health care. Do you have a problem with the assignment?"

Edward stopped short when his father put it that way. "No, not with the assignment itself. I think it is a good idea, but when am I supposed to find the time to do all of this?"

His father laughed lightly. "If you can figure that out, sell the secret to medical students around the country, and you'll be rich."

Edward laughed in return."I know. I guess I just needed to complain a bit."

"I understand. I know how difficult it is, but if you stick with it, you'll be so happy. And this assignment sounds interesting. Tell me about the family you received."

Edward filled him in on what bit of information he had received. "She's a single mother and has a son who's around six years old who has diabetes. Apparently, they can't get it under control, and she's missed so much work that she's been fired from all of the jobs she's held down."

"Sounds like an interesting project, son. I'm sure you'll do fine."

"I hope so."

Edward drove to the address she had given him. Fir Avenue was not the best neighborhood in Forks, and as he parked his shiny car, he hoped nothing would happen to it while he was in Isabella Swan's apartment.

He noticed the playground was filled with children, so that made him feel a bit better. He set the alarm and followed her directions to find her apartment.

Once he arrived at apartment 3B, he knocked.

Suddenly, the door was opened by someone that he least expected. "Ms. Swan?" he asked, unable to string a coherent thought together. She was nothing like he'd expected. He was ashamed at that point to admit to himself that he had been expecting the stereotypical single mother who could not hold a job.

"Yes?" she asked, her voice guarded.

He held his hand out. "I'm Edward Cullen. We spoke on the phone last night."

"Yeah, I remember. Come in," she offered, her face a mask of unfriendliness.

What he saw when he walked into the apartment shocked him.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I just want to thank all of you who have left me a review, put me on alert, and/or favorited this story. The response has truly been overwhelming, and so, I'm already bringing you chapter two as my way of saying thanks! I hope you enjoy. Follow me on Facebook for teasers under LisaDawn Fanfiction and on Twitter under (at)LisaDawn75 for updates on teasers and chapter postings.**

**I also want to give a big thanks to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and my beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. You both are truly lovely.**

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><p>Edward walked into her apartment and was shocked. It looked… homey. Comfortable – not at all like what he had envisioned the Peninsula Apartment complex to be like; of course, he had never been there. He had imagined warped paneling, shag carpeting, and outdated appliances. The apartment would not win any magazine covers, but it was cozy looking, with its mismatched furniture and somewhat updated appliances.<p>

And it was clean – as in neat and _clean_. Again, not at all what he had imagined.

Oh, Ms. Swan had just invited him inside. He needed to untie his tongue and speak. "Thank you, Ms. Swan."

"Don't call me Ms. Swan, please."

He glanced at his paper. "Okay, Isabella."

"Just Bella," she automatically corrected. _God, don't be such a bitch. He's here to help you and Matt. _"So, what do we need to do today to get this project underway?"

Edward looked around and spotted a small dining set with unmatched chairs. "Can we set up here?"

"Sure. Coffee?" she offered.

Edward noticed who he assumed to be Matt in his room playing with his Star Wars toys.

"Thank you," Edward said, amazement clouding his voice. This was not what he had expected. He had just assumed she was like every other person who could not hold a job. Boy, had he misjudged. "How did the employment search go?"

Bella sighed and set a steaming cup of coffee in front of him. He shook his head at her offer of sugar or cream. "Not good. I've worked almost everywhere around here, so I'm running out of options."

Edward took a sip of his coffee. "Have you thought about moving?"

She slammed her cup down on the table, the coffee splashing over the edge and onto the pressed wood. _How __dare he! He just met me__, has no idea of my situation, and just suggests I move! What nerve! _She glared at him. "No."

"Is it because of the Free Clinic in Port Angeles that you go to? There's one in Seattle, too," he said, trying to be helpful.

Bella stood up. "I think we need to do this another time, Mr. Cullen."

Edward knew he had royally fucked up, but he was not used to being around people who were limited in their resources, and he was not sure how to act. He had not meant to offend her. "Look, Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply anything."

She was seething. "Yes, you did, just like everyone else does. You just _assume_ that I'm here for any handout I can get, including the Free Clinic. Am I glad that I go to the Free Clinic? I'm very grateful for them, but I'd much rather have a job with insurance benefits so that I could take my son to a specialist. My son is _not_ just a Medicaid case, and I'm not looking for anything free." Her chest was heaving.

"I'm really sorry. I just… I've never had to deal with…"

"With someone like me," she finished for him. "You know what? You want to be a doctor, but not everyone you see will be wealthy and wonderful."

Edward's temper flared. "I never said that. I know the patient types I'll be seeing. I'm sorry that my family situation was different from yours, but I can't help that. And I'm sorry that I offended you, whether you believe it or not. That was not my intent whatsoever, but I'm not going to keep begging your forgiveness."

Bella walked over to the door. "Good evening, Mr. Cullen."

Edward sighed and gathered his items. "I'll give you time to cool down and call you tomorrow."

"For what?" Bella asked, confused.

"Because whether we like it or not, we're stuck together until I get my project done and your son gets proper medical care."

She gritted her teeth. "Not if I refuse."

Edward growled to himself. "And if you do, they'll cut your benefits. I don't think you want that."

"Argh! Fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said, shutting the door in his face before he could reply.

xXx

"What is wrong with me?" Bella asked her only true friend, Angela. "I know he's here to help, but I'll be damned if he didn't step on every nerve I had!"

Angela gave her a gentle smile. "Try not to be too tough on him, Bella. He wasn't raised the same way you were, and he's rich and probably a bit snobbish, but it's just because of his upbringing. You said he seemed nice at first."

Bella nodded. "Yeah, but I just hate being looked at with pity. It pisses me off."

"Maybe he wasn't pitying you. Maybe he's just trying to help, and he stuck his foot in his mouth."

Bella laughed lightly. "He sure did that. And he has to help me, or he'll flunk his Ethics class."

"Then don't give him such a hard time."

Bella smiled. "If he wants to really pass, he's gonna have to work at it. I'm not going to be like I'm sure countless females would be and just drool all over him and make it easy. Last time I made something easy, I ended up pregnant."

Angela hugged her friend. "He was an asshole, Bells. And it's not like you have to sleep with this guy, just cooperate on his project."

Bella made a noncommittal sound.

Angela bit her lip. "Speaking of… is he cute?"

"Ang!"

"Well, is he?" she asked, her brown eyes bright and shining.

Bella shrugged. "He's all right, I guess. But I told you, men are out of my life. I'm never putting myself at a man's mercy again."

"Geez, hon, I'm not asking you to marry the dude. Just tell me what he looks like." She waggled her eyebrows at Bella.

She sighed. "Well, he's tall – at least six feet – and he has the greenest eyes I've ever seen, and the strangest color of hair. It's dark, but with these bronze highlights. It's different."

"Nice to know you didn't pay attention," Angela teased. "So, he's cute."

"I suppose, if you like that tall, dark, and handsome thing. But like I said, he was a dickhead."

Angela shook her head. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe you overreacted?"

"Me?" Bella asked innocently. "I would never do such a thing," she said, causing her and Angela to collapse in a heap of giggles. "But enough about me. How are things going with Ben?"

"Great," Angela gushed. "He's such a great guy."

"Yes, he is," Bella agreed, happy for her friend. Ben was the one good guy she knew on the planet; she had decided that all other decent guys were married or preferred men themselves. Ben would help her out when she needed a man around for something, and he and Angela had basically adopted Matthew so that he had at least one strong, male role model in his life besides Charlie.

She would do anything she needed for , unfortunately, meant she was going to have to cooperate with Edward Cullen.

xXx

Edward knocked on his professor's door.

"Come in!"

Edward opened the door and stepped into the small office. "Dr. Simon? Do you have a moment where I can speak with you regarding my project?"

Dr. Simon indicated that Edward should have a seat. "Of course, Mr. Cullen. I heard that you had already picked up the information on the family you will be working with. Very impressive."

"Yes, sir. I contacted Ms. Swan yesterday and met with her last night. What I wanted to discuss with you is if it's possible for me to get another assignment. Ms. Swan was very adamant that she did not wish to participate." So, he stretched the truth a bit. _Big deal…_

Dr. Simon sighed and removed his glasses. "Mr. Cullen, I can tell that you have an aversion to this project, but once it is completed, I believe it will help you immensely in your medical career. You will continue to work with Ms. Swan and her son, and you will complete the project."

"But how am I supposed to do that when she—"

He was cut off. "Mr. Cullen, do you know anything about Matthew Swan's condition?"

Edward shook his head slightly. "No, sir. We didn't make it that far."

"Then I would suggest you start there. Her caseworker at the Medicaid office will be glad to work with you. Maybe you should start with her to gain a full understanding of what you will be dealing with." He slid a Post-It note with a name and number on it.

Edward took the paper, trying not to let his disappointment show. "I'll do that. Thank you for your time, sir."

"Good luck, Mr. Cullen."

Edward made his way across campus and flopped into a chair next to his brother, Emmett, whom he found in the campus center. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.

"What's up, dude?" Emmett asked, working on his algebra homework.

"This fucking Ethics project." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

Emmett looked up from his work and shrugged. "Those are the breaks, doc."

Edward leaned forward. "No, you don't understand. This… _woman_… I have to work with was a total pain in the ass last night."

"What did you do to piss her off?" Emmett asked astutely.

He hesitated. "I'm not sure," he lied.

"Bullshit."

Edward sighed. "Fine, I might have let my own ideas slip out and offended her. She lives in the projects in Forks, and I may have said some things I shouldn't have."

Emmett shook his head. "Dude. You need to work on your people skills."

He bristled. "I have wonderful people skills."

Emmett laughed loudly. "Yeah, you usually do, but you must have really fucked this one up, because most females are eating out of your hand."

"She kicked me out," Edward admitted, his face red with shame. Emmett was correct; his old-fashioned manners and good looks usually had the female population bending over backwards to accommodate anything he needed. "I guess I misread her."

"Can you get out of it?"

Edward shook his head. "No, I just came from Dr. Simon's office, and he won't let me out of it."

"Then it sounds to me like you're gonna have to eat some crow."

"Shit," Edward muttered under his breath, knowing his brother was right. He pulled out his folder and dialed Isabella Swan's number again.

"Hello?" she said breathlessly.

"Ms. Swan?" he asked, uncomfortable with calling her by her first name after their falling out the night before.

"Yeah? Who is this?"

He rolled his eyes. "This is Edward Cullen. We met last night," he prompted, partially hoping she had forgotten the entire escapade.

"Oh," she said, her voice deflating. "Look, can I call you back? Matt's having blood sugar problems, and I have to go." She hung up abruptly.

Edward stared at the phone in his hand.

"Yo, dude. What is it?" Emmett asked.

He shook his head, feeling contrite. He was not a complete asshole. "Her son's having problems with his blood sugar. It sounded serious."

"Then maybe you need to go over there and help her. If you help out, maybe she'll feel sorry for being such a bitch to you, and you guys can start over."

Edward nodded, picking up his bag and keys. "Yeah, see you later."

"Later, dude."

**End Notes: So, how do you think their second meeting will go? Do you think Edward will apologize, or do you think his ego will get in the way? I'd LOVE to hear what you think, so just push that little button right there that says "review." I know you want to!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I can't thank you all enough for the warm and welcoming reception this story has had. I believe I have responded to everyone who reviewed, but if I missed you, know that it was just an oversight on my part. I love reading your feedback and then getting to correspond with you!**

**If you'd like to know when teasers are posted, you can friend me on Facebook under LisaDawn Fanfiction and follow me on Twitter (at)LisaDawn75.**

**I also want to give a big thanks to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and to my fabulous beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. You both are wonderful and I have nothing but love for ya!**

**And now, enjoy!**

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><p>Bella tilted the glass back a bit, attempting to get some orange juice down Matthew's throat. He began gurgling and spat it back out.<p>

"Shit," Bella muttered hysterically. She had to get some sugar in his system, or he would die. Soon.

She dipped her finger in his prescription glucose gel and rubbed it along the inside of his mouth, praying it would absorb through the mucous membranes. "Come on, baby. Come on. Where's the fucking ambulance?" she cried softly, attempting again with the orange juice. Matt was not responding to the oral gel; he needed to have some glucose administered intravenously.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, she heard a banging at the door. "EMS!" a male voice shouted.

"Come in," she yelled, not letting go of Matt – again, trying to bring him around with some orange juice.

A tall, blond-haired man wearing a jacket that said "Paramedic" walked in and squatted down next to her. "What's going on?"

"Mike," Bella cried, "don't play this game. You know him. His sugar bottomed out. His monitor wouldn't even read it. He needs some IV glucose. Now. The oral stuff isn't working."

Mike Newton motioned for his partner to get the supplies out of their bag.

"Hurry," she begged.

He stuck an intravenous needle into Matthew's left forearm successfully. He pulled the needle out, leaving the plastic sheath in the vein, flushed the line with saline, and then began to push the glucose solution gently, but quickly.

Bella figured that after the oral gel, the orange juice, and the intravenous glucose, Matt's blood sugar would be then be too high when he woke up. _When he wakes up, _she kept repeating to herself over and over. _When he wakes up…_

xXx

Edward looked for a chair to sit in. The garishly green chairs in the Social Insurance office were hideous, and it was a job for him to find one that did not appear as if it had been recently spat in or had gum stuck to it. His shoes stuck to the industrial tile floor, and he tried to keep away from any children that appeared to be sick. He finally settled in a relatively clean chair and waited to meet Isabella Swan's case worker, Judy Bartlett.

He looked around, amazed at how the "other side" of life lived. The building was one huge open space, with brown cubicle dividers throughout the room, so a steady hum of voices filled the air.

No privacy. There was no privacy or dignity in a place like this. He was attempting to see it through Isabella's eyes, yet all he could see was the dinginess of the place. He wondered how she felt when she had to come here.

Edward noticed a few young girls eyeing him closely, and he shifted in his plastic chair uncomfortably. Before he could get ogled farther, however, Judy Bartlett came around the corner and called his name.

He shook her hand, and she led him through the cubicle maze to her tiny office area.

"Mr. Cullen, please have a seat, and tell me what I can do for you," she said. Her brown hair was beginning to turn gray at the temples and hung in a limp ponytail, her blue eyes appearing dull.

Edward was beginning to understand how a place like this could suck the life right out of someone.

"Ms. Bartlett, thank you for seeing me on such short notice."

"Anything to help Matthew. He's a sick little boy. You do have the information release signed?"

He handed her a copy of the Release of Information that Ms. Swan had signed. "Good. I hated to do it, but I basically had to force her into the program at UW. She was in danger of losing her benefits if she didn't, however."

Edward sat back, crossing his legs. "Why did you have to force her?"

She sighed. "Mr. Cullen, have you actually met Isabella Swan?"

He grimaced, remembering their meeting the night prior. "Yes, ma'am. And please, call me Edward."

"Then you should know why. Isabella is a very private person, and honestly, she has every right to be after what she's been through. She was very reluctant about sharing information with a stranger."

"Well, I'm just trying to help."

"And that's what I explained to her. The state will not continue to cover Matthew's mounting medical bills unless we try this intervention. She was basically coerced into it."

_Ah, __well, that__ explains the underlying hostility, _he thought. "Ms. Bartlett, you keep mentioning Matthew's condition. What exactly is wrong with him?"

She recrossed her legs, taking a sip of the Coke on her desk. "Matthew suffers from uncontrolled Type I Diabetes. He was diagnosed when he was only two years old. Isabella has spent basically his whole life fighting with doctors to get the correct diagnosis when he was little, as they didn't believe her when she said something was wrong with him, and the remainder of the time fighting the disease with only the help of his regular physician, who was chosen by Medicaid. He needs a specialist, but it's not covered."

"That's ridiculous," Edward said, stunned. "If he's uncontrolled, he needs to see an endocrinologist – a pediatric one, actually."

She nodded in agreement. "I know, but unfortunately, Washington Medicaid only allows for a specialist after the attending physician refers them, and her doctor will not do it. He says he's keeping Matt's blood sugars under control."

"Do you know what they run?"

She sighed and took another sip of her Coke. "Anywhere from the teens to the four hundred range. And he can go from one to the other in the same day."

Edward scoffed. "Controlled my ass," he muttered, causing her to smile. "Ms. Bartlett, where is his father in all of this? Is he around to help Bella out?"

Judy hesitated. "I would prefer to let her tell you her story, if she chooses to. I don't feel that's my place, but let's just say, he's not in the picture."

"So she's on her own?" he asked disbelievingly. He could not imagine the strength it took to raise a young son alone. He was beginning to understand Bella's knee-jerk reactions a bit better.

"Yes, aside from her father, who is the Chief of Police here in Forks."

Edward was speechless. There was much more to Isabella Swan than he had ever imagined.

xXx

"I think he'll be okay now," Mike said, placing a comforting hand on Bella's arm. "If you have any other problems, just call us back."

She gave him a tremulous smile. "You know I will. Thanks, Mike."

"Bella, you know, I was wondering…" he stuttered.

Bella sighed. "Mike, we've been over this. I'm not dating. It's not just you; I'm not interested in dating anyone."

He scowled. "Look, Bella. I know things haven't been exactly the best for you, but you've got to move on. Get out there. We're not all bad guys."

_Why do we have to go through this shit every time he comes here on a call for Matt? _"Mike, I understand that's how you feel, but it's my decision. Thanks for helping Matthew. I really do appreciate it."

He gathered his items up, putting them back in his bag. "Well, if you change your mind, Bells, you know where to find me."

She nodded, hoping to appease him a bit. He was at her house plenty, whenever Matt had an episode, and he always took such good care of him. She just wished he would not put her in the position of having to turn him down every time.

She was not going to date. Ever again. The last time had not ended well, and now she had Matthew to care for. She did not need a man in her life to complicate things any further.

She had enough problems as it was.

Her phone rang suddenly, causing her to jump. Matthew was resting quietly on the couch at that point, and she did not want the jangling noise to bother him. "Hello?" she said, trying to keep the sharpness out of her voice.

"Ms. Swan?" The velvet voice was back.

"Yeah. Is this Edward?" _Oh, happy happy, joy joy!_

"Yes, this is Edward Cullen. How's your son?"

She was brought up a bit short at the sound of genuine concern in his voice. "Um, he's all right. The paramedics had to give him some IV glucose, but he's resting quietly now." She hesitated. "Thanks for asking."

"Sure. I was wondering if we could meet up to start on the project."

Bella sighed. She was not going to get out of this. "Okay. How about tomorrow night? I still need to do some job hunting."

"That would be fine. How about seven o'clock?" he asked.

"I'll see you then." She just hoped that things would go a bit better than their first meeting.

xXx

Bella rested her head against the steering wheel of her truck. Her feet and her head were throbbing. She had been to several different businesses, looking for a new job. She felt as if she were wearing a huge scarlet letter, as she had been told the same thing, over and over.

No.

Sorry, not hiring.

No, thank you.

Bella still had an hour before Matthew got out of school, so she decided to stop by the police station and see her dad. She pulled into the parking lot and shut the ear-splitting engine off.

"Hey, Dad," she said, walking into his office and sitting down in the chair opposite his desk.

He looked up from the accident report he was completing. "Hey, Bells. What are you doing out and about?"

"Job hunting," she said quietly, her head hanging in shame.

Charlie Swan sighed and set his pen down. "What happened at Thriftway?"

She quickly swiped under her eyes. "The school called again about Matt's sugar. It bottomed out while he was there, and I had to take off really quickly and go to the school. They said I'd missed more than my allotted time off and let me go."

"So where all have you been today?"

Bella recited all of the businesses she had applied at since her termination at the grocery store.

"Were any of them promising?"

She shook her head. "No; they all turned me down. I'm sure it's all over town that I miss a lot of work because of Matt. What am I gonna do, Dad?" she asked, her voice small. She in no way resembled the strong woman she showed the world on a daily basis.

"Bells, you're twenty-three years old. You have a six year old son who's depending on you."

She swiped at her eyes, again. "I know, Dad."

Charlie cleared his throat. "You're gonna take that job I've been offering you for months. I can't find a suitable receptionist, and you'd be perfect for the job."

Bella sighed. "Dad, I appreciate it, but I don't want to put you in a weird position if it didn't work out. Matthew's diabetes is so out of control right now that I might have to run out at any time."

Charlie looked at her sternly. "Isabella, you don't really have a choice now. Besides, he's my grandson. I'm not going to fire my daughter for taking good care of my grandson."

She scoffed lightly.

"Bells, you take wonderful care of that kid. You've educated yourself on his disease and do everything you can to take care of him. I know the situation you had him under wasn't the best, but you've made the best of it. You're my daughter, and I'll do whatever I need to do to help you out."

Bella thought that was the longest speech he had made that she could remember. "I'll think about it," she finally deflected.

He sighed. "You'll think about it tonight, and then you'll come back tomorrow and say yes."

"I know," she said with a sigh. "I've gotta go pick up Matt and get him fed. Edward Cullen is coming by again tonight."

"Who's he?" Charlie asked, his eyebrows raised.

She rolled her eyes. "He's a medical student that's supposed to help me find good medical care for Matthew as part of a school project. My caseworker set Matt up in the program to try to get him into an endocrinologist."

"You don't act too happy about that."

Bella shook her head. "It's just that he came over a couple of nights ago, and he was so… arrogant. It flew all over me, and I probably overreacted."

"You kicked him out."

She hung her head. "Yeah."

He sighed again. "Bells, you're just gonna have to get over it and let him do what he needs. For Matt."

She nodded and stood up. "I will. I promise, I'll try to work with him."

"That's my good girl."

xXx

Bella took a deep breath when she heard the expected knock at her door at seven o'clock sharp. _Be nice, be nice, be nice,_ she kept repeating to herself. She opened the door with a smile plastered on her face. "Hi," she said, when she saw Edward standing on her doorstep, his hair wet from the rain.

"Hi," he said quietly, almost as if he were afraid of her reaction.

She stepped back from the door. "Please, come in," she said softly.

"Thank you."

She could tell they were dancing around each other. Bella could not stand the tension and finally spoke. "Look, Edward, I'm sorry if I—"

He cut her off. "No, I'm the one who owes you an apology. I came in here the other night with a stereotype already in my mind, and I treated you as if you weren't worth my time. I was wrong, and I'm sorry. I really am here to help."

Bella was stunned. Maybe he wasn't a total asshole after all. But she had been sweet talked before, and that ended in nothing but trouble.

_He's not here to seduce you, dummy. He's here to help Matthew. _She offered him a tremulous smile. "Thank you, Edward. Apology accepted. So, where do we start?"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Again, thanks to everyone who has been reading. Also a big thanks goes to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen (check her work out, it's fabulous) and to my beta, the amazing Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar (check her stuff out, too, it's amazing).**

**Also, everyone is wondering where Matthew's father is; I promise that mystery will be unfolded soon!**

**Disclaimer: I do not on Twilight, all I own is Matthew. This goes from the very beginning of the story.**

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><p>Bella was stunned. Maybe Edward was not a total asshole after all, but she had been sweet talked before, and that had ended in nothing but trouble.<p>

_He's not here to seduce you, dummy. He's here to help Matthew. _She offered him a tremulous smile. "Thank you, Edward. Apology accepted. So, where do we start?"

Edward pulled a small laptop out of his case and set it upon the dining room table. "Well, from what I hear, you're still job hunting, correct?"

She nodded silently.

"How's that going?" he asked, watching the screen as the computer booted up.

She sighed and sat in the chair opposite him. "It's not. I've searched for days, and unfortunately, Forks is a small town, so almost everyone knows my history and that I've been fired multiple times. I don't know what else to do."

Edward nodded. "Okay, we just have to think smarter than them."

She scoffed. "I can't trick them into giving me a job, Edward. I have to earn it on my own merit."

He laughed lightly. "I know that, but we can make them want you for their company."

"How?"

He tilted his head slightly, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a small smirk. "Are you free on Saturday?"

"For what?" she answered guardedly.

"I want us to take a trip together to Seattle. My mother donates her used clothes to a program there that helps low income women find proper business attire, shows them how to put on proper make-up,and gives them tips on hairstyling. It's basically a beauty makeover," he said with a smile.

Bella gritted her teeth. Another handout. "What the hell does that have to do with Matthew's diabetes? I thought that's why you were here, not to get me pity beauty makeovers."

Edward felt his temper spike, but managed to maintain a calm exterior. "Well, my understanding is that you want a job that offers benefits, including health insurance. You have to find a good position in order to get a job like that, Bella. But first, you need to appear as a professional, not only during the time you are filling out an application, but all the way through to the interview."

When she began to glower at him, he glared right back. "Remember, I'm just here to help," he said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I can't afford a whole new wardrobe," she spat. "I'm poor, remember?"

He sighed, breathing deeply through his nose. "Thus the reason for the Seattle trip. This place I'm talking about offers all of their services for free. Bella, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions the other day, but I know this would make a huge difference in your ability to get an interview, and possibly even a good job. It's called Dressed for Success. They will help you with your wardrobe for an interview, and then more when you get a job."

"I've already got a job," she said suddenly and defensively.

Edward looked confused. "A second ago, you didn't have a job."

Bella dropped her head into her hands. "That's because it's my last choice, but my dad has offered me a job as the receptionist and dispatcher at the Forks Police Department."

"Well, that's great. I would assume they have insurance."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, but…" She trailed off.

"But what?"

"Nothing. I haven't taken it, because I don't want to put my dad in that position."

"I think you need to take it. What do you mean by position? I wouldn't have thought that you'd have a problem with nepotism." Edward pulled the corner of his mouth up in a small smirk.

Bella glared at him again. "It's not that, smarty pants. I just don't want to take advantage of him and miss a lot of work. I don't mind hard work, you know. I just need someone to give me a chance."

Edward laced his fingers together and placed his joined hands on top of the table. "So, you do want someone to give you something. Hell, I can't figure you out. One minute, you have to be the Lone Ranger, doing it all alone, and the next, you want someone to give you a chance. Make up your damn mind," he said angrily.

She narrowed her eyes and stood up suddenly, her chair falling back in the process. "And I thought you came here to apologize. Don't sit there and try to psychoanalyze me, Doctor _Student_. You have no idea how my life has been and the things I've gone through."

Edward stood as well. Dammit, she knew how to push all of his buttons, and apparently, he knew exactly how to push hers. He had come to apologize, and they'd ended up in another fight. "I did come to apologize, Miss Smarty Pants, which I've already done!"

"Then I guess you're gonna have to do it again, because you've just pissed me off all over!"

He threw his hands up. "What the hell do you want? And who says that I have to bow down to your every whim? So I pissed you off… so what? You pissed me off, too, so are you going to apologize to me?"

"I'm fucking sorry. So, there."

"So am I!" he shouted. "Now can we get back to work, so I can get this fucking project done and get out of your life?"

"Mom? What's all the yelling about?" a young voice asked from the hallway.

Bella sunk down into the chair, putting her hands over her face. Finally, she turned around to face Matthew. "I'm sorry, honey," she said, bending down to hug him. "I didn't mean to get angry."

"I heard voices, and they kept getting louder and louder."

Edward was standing silently, staring at the young boy. He looked chronically sick, with lifeless eyes, dull hair, and he appeared to be underweight for his age. "I'm sorry, too," he said, this time with sincerity.

"Who are you?" Matthew asked from his mother's embrace. She was brushing his limp brown hair from his forehead.

"I'm Edward. I'm here to help your mom find you a good doctor."

A bit of sparkle came into his brown eyes. "Really? Like a real di'betes doctor?"

"Speaking of, munchkin, we need to check your sugar." Bella lifted him up and sat him on the kitchen counter, pulling the glucometer out and puncturing his finger so fast, he didn't even flinch. He squeezed his finger while she guided the drop into the strip and listened as Matthew counted down.

"Five, four, three, two, one!" He grinned as the machine beeped exactly after he had spoken. "What is it?" he asked seriously.

"It's awesome. It's eighty-seven." She held up her hand for a high five. "That means you only have to take your Lantus insulin."

His eyes widened. "No sliding scale?"

She smiled at him. "Nope, just one shot tonight."

Matthew pumped his fist up in the air as a symbol of victory. "Yes!" he said.

Edward stood in the dining room, watching mother and son practice a ritual they must have been doing for years, and that no child should have had to go through. It was as though they were magnets – she moved, he moved.

Matthew's attitude toward the entire thing was extraordinary and really opened Edward's eyes to this project. He had seen adults with diabetes act more childish regarding their blood sugar checks and insulin injections. He was also amazed at how much Matthew seemed to understand about his own condition. How many six year olds knew about sliding scale insulin? He continued to watch the entire procedure with awe.

"All done," Bella announced to Matthew, giving him a quick kiss on the head.

Matthew hugged her. "Thanks, Mom. Nice to meet you Edward," he called as he headed back to his room.

"You, too, buddy," he said, surprise still evident in his voice. "He's a very well-behaved kid," he remarked to Bella.

"Thanks," she said, putting the insulin back in the refrigerator. "I try."

"And he took his injection without any fussing."

She nodded. "Yeah, he's a good kid. We've been doing injections since he was two, so he really doesn't know it any other way."

"It must be hard to raise him on your own," he hinted. The question of Matthew's father had been burning in his mind.

"I manage," she said, her voice cold. "Now, what do we need to do tonight?"

Edward sat back down at the kitchen table. "Well, first things first. You need a job. Do you want me to ask my father if there are any jobs available in his office or in the hospital? Or are you going to work with your father?"

Bella's defenses immediately came up. She did not need favors from this well to do, hoity toity, doctor wannabe. But she stopped before the words came out of her mouth. He had been on his best behavior since Matt had caught them arguing, and she did not want to upset Matt again. Stress always made his sugars fluctuate. "Um, yeah, that would be okay."

xXx

"Son, are you asking me to give your Ethics project subject a job?" Carlisle asked Edward.

As soon as Edward had arrived home, he had gone to his father's study to ask Carlisle about any open positions either at the hospital, or more specifically, his medical office. He wanted to get a top grade in the class, but he also had changed his position about Bella after meeting Matthew.

He knew she was a poor, single mom, and he wanted to help her.

"Well, I'm not asking you to give her a job, but just a chance. At least interview her. Please?" he added.

Carlisle sighed. "Well, I need a new medical assistant. The one I have just turned her notice in today. She's getting married and moving to Miami."

The grin on Edward's face almost cracked his cheeks. "Please, just interview her."

Carlisle nodded. "All right, Edward. I'll interview her, but it's up to her to get the job."

"That's all I ask."

He stopped in the kitchen for a glass of milk, and then climbed the stairs to his room. He was tired. He made the drive to Seattle three times a week to attend his classes, and at times, crashed with some friends who had an apartment off campus. But with this Ethics project, he would be spending most of his off days with Ms. Isabella Swan.

He was so excited about getting her the interview that he picked up his cell phone and called her immediately. The phone rang several times before she picked up.

"Hello?" Her voice was gravelly. He must have woken her.

"Bella, it's Edward Cullen." He was so excited that he was practically bouncing on his bed.

She yawned. "What? Earlier wasn't enough for you?"

Okay, that stung a bit. "Yeah… I mean no… I mean, I was calling to give you some good news." Damn woman. How could one little female make him so uncomfortable and feel so inferior?

"It couldn't wait until tomorrow? It's eleven o'clock."

Edward looked at the clock and slapped his forehead. "Shit, I'm sorry. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

She yawned again. "No, it's okay. I'm not a real pleasant person when I've been woken up. Sorry I snapped at you. So, what's the news?"

"It's all right. I shouldn't have called so late, but I talked to my dad, and he's got an opening for a medical assistant in his office. He said he'd be glad to interview you for the position."

"Fine."

Fine? That was all? He was not expecting oratorical fireworks from her, but he was hoping for more than just a "fine."

"Okay," he said, slightly deflated.

"I appreciate it, Edward, really I do. I'm sorry, I'm just not real coherent in the middle of the night."

"Right, sorry I woke you up. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, night," she said and disconnected.

"Night," he said to the empty phone line.

He lay back on the bed and put his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Isabella Swan was an enigma to him. One minute, she was friendly, but the next, whenever he tried to help her out, she turned into a spitfire. It seemed like he could not do anything to please her, no matter what he tried.

But for some reason, he felt that he had to keep trying. Not just for her, but for Matthew, as well.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you to everyone again. I don't know what else to say. I owe huge thanks to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and my lovely beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. Also, big thanks to xrxdanixrx for her pimpage of this fic. You guys are all fabulous.**

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><p>"Ms. Swan? Dr. Cullen will see you now."<p>

"Thank you," she said, standing and smoothing the dress pants she had borrowed from Angela.

She walked through a solid oak door and saw one of the most attractive men she had ever seen in her life. _Now I__ know where Edward gets his good looks from,_ she thought, and then mentally slapped herself. When had Edward's beauty come into this? And why the hell was she even thinking that Edward was beautiful?

She was there for a job interview that Edward had set up for her at his father's medical practice, but he had made it clear that it was up to her to get the job.

Dr. Cullen stood from his chair, a pleasant smile on his angelic features. "You must be Bella. I'm Carlisle Cullen. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Bella was slightly taken aback. Most of her medical experiences had been unpleasant, as hospitals and doctors' offices often treated her son like just another Medicaid patient, and she was looked upon as if she had the plague.

It was a shock to have someone of Dr. Cullen's class interact with her as if she were an… _equal_.

"Good morning, Dr. Cullen," she responded, a tight but genuine smile on her face. She was nervous; she could admit it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, as well."

He gestured she should sit in the leather chair opposite his desk. "May I get you something to drink? Water? Tea? Coffee?"

Again, Bella was surprised. She had never imagined this beautiful – and apparently considerate – doctor would actually offer to wait on her. "Water would be nice, but only if it's no trouble." Her mouth was already as dry as cotton, and she wanted to make a good impression.

"No trouble at all," he responded, a friendly smile on his face. He walked to a small refrigerator in the office and brought her a bottle of water.

"Thank you," she replied, beginning to feel her tight muscles relax.

He seemed to be genuinely kind. She briefly wondered if she had perhaps been too hard on Edward. If his father was this nice, then surely he had not meant to insult her. Then again, she had not met his mother.

"You're welcome. So, my son, Edward, tells me you're in the market for a new job."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Do you have any experience with medical procedures?" he asked, his face open.

"I have experience with some, sir. But much of what I've learned has been from watching other medical professionals when I have had my son in the hospital." She wondered if she had just shot herself in the foot with that information. "But I am a very fast learner," she added quickly.

He leaned forward. "From what Edward tells me, you are very knowledgeable on diabetes."

She nodded. "Yes, sir. My son has Type I diabetes. He was diagnosed when he was two years old."

"Matthew?"

"Yes," she said, surprised. Now she knew she had been too hard on Edward; he had only been trying to help her, but it was just so difficult for her to accept it.

"So you know how to give injections, check blood sugars…" he said, leading her.

"Oh, yes, sir. And as I said, I'm a very quick learner. All I need is a bit of training, and I promise you, I'll work as hard as I can for you." _Don't act so desperate, dummy!_ she shouted at herself. But if truth was told, she _was_ desperate.

He smiled a dazzling smile at her. "We need people here who can learn quickly, are open to learning new things, and are willing to work hard."

She smiled back at him. "Well, if those are the qualifications, then I'm your girl." She was a bit shocked at herself for being so open and almost brazen, but she needed this job, and it seemed perfect for her.

"Fantastic. When can you start?"

Bella was taken aback. Was he offering her the job? "Um, I can start whenever you need me. Tomorrow, even."

Dr. Cullen smiled at her again. "Wonderful! I am offering the job to you, if you are interested."

"Oh, Dr. Cullen, sir! I'm very interested, and I accept."

He laughed lightly. "Don't you want to know the pay and benefits?"

Her breath caught in her throat. "You offer benefits?"

He nodded. "Yes, insurance – both health and dental – and life insurance, along with paid vacation and sick days."

Bella actually placed her hand over her heart. "Oh… oh, my. I do accept. I can't thank you enough."

She was not even interested in the pay. The fact that she was going to be able to privately insure her son and get him off of his Medicaid meant that she could take him to a specialist. She could not think of anything better than that.

"Thank you. We're glad to have you aboard. Let me introduce you to the rest of the staff." He led her from his office into the hub of the practice. He introduced her to Laney, his nurse, and to Sheila, the office manager.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some more patients to see. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything, Bella."

She reached out and shook his hand. "Thank you so much, Dr. Cullen. I promise, I'll do my best."

He smiled at her again. "I have no doubt." And with that, he turned and walked toward what she assumed were the patient exam rooms.

"So, when can you start?" Sheila asked her, an undertone of brusqueness to her voice.

"Tomorrow."

Her face split into a smile. "Wonderful. That will give Amanda plenty of time to train you in the position, then. Most people have to give a two weeks' notice at their other job, which can create a problem when we need to train."

Bella shook her head. "I'm not working anywhere, but I'll need today to make arrangements for my son, Matthew, for after school."

Sheila reached out to shake her hand. "Then I guess we'll see you tomorrow, Bella."

She smiled and shook her hand in return. "I'm looking forward to it."

Bella practically skipped out to her truck. She had done it! She had found a good job, with benefits for her son! And it was thanks to Edward.

As she still had an hour before she needed to pick Matt up from school, she decided to stop by the police station and give her dad the good news. When she pulled into the parking lot, his cruiser was the only car there.

She pulled the door open, listening for the bell. "Dad?" she called.

"In here, Bells," he said from his office.

She walked the familiar hallway and entered his office. There was a line of Matthew's school pictures hanging on the wall, and her graduation picture was on his desk. For someone who did not like to show emotion, he was a very sentimental person.

"So, what's up? You look awful nice; what are you all dressed up for?" he asked, looking at her appraisingly.

"I had a job interview."

"Really? That's great. Where at?"

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen's office."

When she was not forthcoming with further information, he prompted, "And?"

The smile that split her face was his answer. "And I got it! I got the job!"

Charlie stood up from his chair and embraced her in an awkward, one-armed hug. "That's great, Bells. I'm very proud of you."

His praise made Bella feel all warm inside. Hopefully, this was a start of something good.

xXx

Bella was laughing at Matthew, who was currently doing his happy dance around their living room at the exciting news of Bella's job.

"Mom? You think they'll let me see a specialist now?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to try my hardest. At least, maybe we can find a new doctor instead of that quack they send us to."

He continued to shake his bottom. "What about Dr. Cullen? Edward's dad? Since you'll be working there, you think he'd see me?"

Bella had actually already had that thought, but she wanted to ask Sheila in the morning if Dr. Cullen saw his employee's children. It might be some type of conflict of interest. "I'm not sure. I'm going to ask tomorrow. From what I hear, he's a really good doctor."

Matthew held his hands out, and Bella joined him in his happy dance. They were both dancing around the room, when a knock interrupted their celebration.

She opened the door to find Edward Cullen standing on the other side.

"Oh, hi," she said, surprised. "I was planning on calling you."

He gave her a crooked smile that caused her stomach to drop. "Hey, there. I just heard the good news and thought I'd come by to say congratulations."

"Edward!" Matt called, rushing to the door.

"Hey, buddy! What's up?" he asked, shuffling his feet nervously in the hallway of the apartment complex.

"You wanna come in?" Bella asked politely.

He smiled at her again. "Actually, I came by to see if you and Matthew would like to join me for a pizza. As a celebration, you know?"

Bella's stomach dropped even farther. "Oh, we don't want to inconvenience you."

"Please, Mom?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, please, Mom?" Edward asked with a smile. "Plus, I thought we could do some planning on where to go next."

Bella smiled at him – her first true smile she had given him. "All right. Thanks, Edward."

"Not a problem," he said, grinning. "Shall I drive?"

_Uh_, _yeah, _Bella thought. The idea of someone like Edward riding in her ancient truck was almost laughable. "Sounds good."

Matthew grabbed Edward's hand, causing both Bella and him to pause. Bella was stunned. With the absence of a father figure, Matthew had never been very warm toward male figures, and Charlie – in his attempt to avoid any emotional displays – was not always forthcoming with affection for Matt to learn from.

Edward smiled down at him after getting over his initial surprise. "Well, where do you guys wanna go? You want Pacific Pizza, or would you prefer to go to Port Angeles?"

"Pacific Pizza!" Matthew yelled. Pacific Pizza was his favorite restaurant.

"Sounds good to me," Bella chimed in.

She followed them out of the door, turning to lock the deadbolt. Before she knew it, she was in the parking lot of her apartment complex, where she pulled up short. She should not have been surprised, but she was a bit anxious about Matthew riding in the shiny, silver Volvo that was parked in the lot. She was already imagining the mud he would track into it.

"You okay?" Edward asked.

She nodded. "Matt, make sure you keep your feet on the floor."

"'Kay, Mom," he replied, rolling his eyes.

Edward smiled at him. "It'll be fine, kiddo. Don't worry about it." He opened Bella's door for her, and she looked up into his startling green eyes.

She felt as if her stomach had dropped into her shoes. He really was an incredibly beautiful man. "Th-thank you," she said quietly. No one except her father had ever opened doors for her, and those were just doors into buildings.

"You're welcome," he said softly, staring back into her own brown eyes.

"Can we get sausage on the pizza?" Matthew asked from the backseat, breaking their trance.

Edward walked around the car after shutting Bella's door and opened his own. "We can have whatever you want, Matt. I'll eat just about anything. Except anchovies. Tell me you don't want anchovies," he teased.

Matthew wrinkled his nose up. "Ewwww. No way, Jose."

Edward laughed. "Excellent. So sausage it is." He put the car in gear and drove the couple of miles to the pizza parlor.

When they parked, Edward quickly trotted to Bella's side of the car and opened her door for her, causing her eyes to widen.

"What?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I-I've just never seen such impeccable manners before."

He laughed and locked the doors. "Well, my mother made sure to instill good manners in me, and despite what you might think from our previous interactions, I'm not a caveman."

Bella felt her face flush. "I didn't think that. And I'm sorry. I can be very difficult."

"Surely not," he said, a teasing tone to his voice.

She glared at him, but broke into a smile. "I can't be mad today. I just got a great job with benefits, thanks to you."

Edward walked them into the restaurant, and they were quickly escorted to a booth. Edward told them to get whatever they wanted to drink and went ahead and put in an order for a large sausage pizza.

"So, did Dad tell you what all you'd be doing?"

She shook her head. "He told me the gist of it, but Sheila will fill me in on everything else. I start tomorrow."

"Have you thought anymore about going to Seattle with me to get some new clothes?" he asked cautiously.

She nodded slightly. "Yeah. But I figured I'd better wait until tomorrow to see what the dress code is."

"That's a good idea. I think they wear scrubs in the office."

"Oh." She knew that scrubs were very expensive. Maybe she could find some on consignment.

Edward propped his chin on his hand. "Bella, this may not be my place, but my mother has some scrubs she used to wear when she worked in the office. I can see if she still has them."

Bella gritted her teeth. She hated handouts; she hated knowing that she was unable to provide for herself.

But she could not afford new ones. "Um, yeah, that would be great," she ground out. "I… I really do appreciate the offer."

Edward was surprised that she was actually able to accept help graciously. "Good. I'll check for you."

Their pizza came then, and they ate in silence, Matthew slurping his Diet Coke noisily.

"Matt," Bella admonished. "Remember your manners."

"Sorry," he said. He rarely got a soda and was excited about the free refills.

"And don't eat too much, or your sugar will be high from the carbs."

"I know, Mom," he said, sighing. "I've only had two pieces. Can I have another?"

Bella nodded. Edward had ordered a thin crust, so in her head, she figured out he would be okay.

"So you guys have to count carbs, as well as sugar?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded. "Yeah, I've been counting them so long, I can pretty much tell what he can and can't have now by eyeballing it. When he was first diagnosed, I counted them out to the milligram."

They continued eating, until they all sat back with a sigh.

"Mom, can I play a video game?" Matthew asked.

She dug in her pocket for a couple of quarters. "Sure, but just one."

"Oh, I've got a pocket full of quarters," Edward offered, but Matt was already gone.

She sighed. "Thanks, but I don't want him getting used to things I can't provide on my own. I appreciate everything you've done, but I understand that I'm just a school project, and when it's completed, we won't see you again."

Edward nodded in understanding. "Do you mind if I ask where his father is?"

Bella blanched. She hated thinking of James. "He's somewhere where the child support division can't find him."

Edward frowned. "So he has no interest in Matthew?"

She shook her head. "Nope. He took off right after I told him I was pregnant."

"You were pretty young when you had him," he prompted.

Bella scrubbed her face with her hands. She was torn. On the one hand, she loved Matthew with all of her being. On the other, she was still ashamed of the situation she had gotten herself in. "Yeah, I was sixteen. I'd never had a boyfriend, and James actually showed interest in me. I was young and stupid, and willing to do whatever to keep him. Didn't work," she added wryly.

"I'm sorry," Edward said softly.

"It's all right. I do the best I can. My dad was great about the whole thing, although he did threaten to shoot James with his gun," she remembered with a laugh. "He helped me out and let me continue to live at home, so I could go to school and graduate. Next to Matthew, that's what I'm proudest of – graduating high school."

Edward smiled at her. "Well, I think you're doing a great job. I mean, Bella, you're trying. Many people in your situation wouldn't even try."

"I don't have a choice," she replied quietly.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen, for her support on this story, and thank you to Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar, for betaing for me. I know I keep repeating myself but you are both the best!**

**And thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, and alerting. I'm just overwhelmed at the response I've received on this story.**

**Join me on Facebook for teasers and pictures under LisaDawn Fanfiction and on Twitter under (at)LisaDawn75!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer created it, I'm just playing with it.**

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><p>Edward smiled at her. "Well, I think you're doing a great job. I mean, Bella, you're trying. Many people in your situation wouldn't even try."<p>

"I don't have a choice," she replied quietly.

"You did have a choice," Edward replied. "You could have chosen several different options. So this guy just up and left you alone? With no contact information?"

She nodded, sipping her drink. "Yeah. He was a couple of years older than me, and so he just up and left. I never heard from him again. The Medicaid office and the child support office have tried to find him, but no luck."

He sat back in the booth, looking at her.

"What?"

Edward shook his head. "I was just thinking that I've never met anyone like you before."

Bella chewed on her lower lip. "And is that a compliment, or an insult?"

He gave her that crooked grin again. "Do you honestly think I'd insult you?"

"You already have plenty of times," she said, her arms crossed over her chest.

At that moment, Matthew came back to the table. "I won!"

Edward replied, "You did?"

"Well, until I lost, and I needed another quarter."

Bella smiled at him. "We need to go, anyway. You have homework to do."

"Awww, Mom!" Matt groaned.

"Awww, Mom," Bella mimicked, smiling at him. "Remember what I've told you."

He nodded his head and rolled his eyes. "School comes first."

"That's right."

They stood by the doors while Edward paid the check, and then accompanied him to his car. Before she knew it, they were back at her apartment complex. She was not as surprised this time when Edward opened her door for her, along with the door to the building. She should have known he would walk them inside.

"Matt, what do you tell Edward for dinner?" she prompted when they arrived at her door.

"Thanks, Edward," he said enthusiastically.

Bella sent him on inside to start on his math homework, and then turned to face Edward. "Thanks for dinner," she said, looking up into those same startling green eyes. They reminded her of emeralds – not that she had ever had any, or seen any, for that matter.

He continued to look deeply into her own brown eyes. "You're welcome."

She shifted, pulling her eyes away from his. _You're just a school project to him… that's all. _"I'd better go help Matt," she said, inching away from him. "Thanks again."

Edward nodded and stepped back. "We didn't get any work done on the project today."

She laughed lightly. "No, we didn't."

"Do you mind if I come back tomorrow? I have classes, so it'll be around six."

She nodded. "Yeah, that would be fine. I'm not sure what time I'll be done at my job, but I should be home by then."

Edward yelled through the door to Matthew that he was leaving and bid Bella good-bye. He walked slowly to his car, looking around the lot that he was parked in. Most of the vehicles were old, some were rusty, and one looked as if it had been sitting there a long time without being started. There were two that were newer cars – his, and a new Buick. He wondered which one was Bella's. He assumed she had a car; that thought had not crossed his mind, but he assumed she did not walk everywhere.

He drove swiftly through the streets of Forks and hit the 101 to head home. He was surprised to see Emmett's Jeep in the driveway. Emmett typically stayed off campus with his girlfriend, Rosalie, in her apartment.

He parked and walked into the sprawling house. He could not help but compare it to where he had just left. Isabella Swan had certainly been dealt a difficult hand, while he had been born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth.

He wandered into the spacious family room, where he found Emmett playing Call of Duty on the Xbox.

"Yo, dude," he greeted. "You wanna play me? It's not as much fun by myself. Jasper isn't here for me to kick his ass."

Edward flopped onto the white leather couch. "No, thanks. I need to get upstairs and get some work done on this Ethics project."

"So, has Bitchy the Ice Queen thawed any?"

Edward scowled. "Don't call her that. She's been through a lot."

"Oh, ho, ho! I get it. You're getting sweet on her," he teased, making kissing noises at Edward.

Edward laughed and threw a pillow, hitting his brother in the face. "Don't be stupid. Of course not. It's just that she hasn't had it easy like us."

"Dude, we don't have it easy! College is fucking hard!"

"Yeah, but at least we've got both parents, a nice home, nice cars, and plenty of money. Plus, we're able to go to college. We don't have to struggle for everything. We don't even have to work while we're in school."

Emmett hit the pause button and looked at Edward seriously. "She's actually gotten to you. Amazing."

Edward stood up, heading toward the stairs. "Don't be ridiculous. I just feel sorry for her, that's all."

Emmett continued making kissing noises at him, and Edward flipped him off, before leaving the room. _He's so full of shit. 'Gotten to me?' Please… _Although, he could not stop thinking of Bella's face when she truly smiled – all those walls down. He had seen that look earlier in the evening as she looked at her son, and for some reason, he wanted her to look at him like that.

_Stop it! She's a school project, and that's it. Nothing more._

He shut the door to his room and turned the stereo on. Soft sounds of Chopin filled the room, and he grabbed his backpack, pulling stacks of books and a few notebooks out. He needed to study for the Pharmacology test he had coming up the next week.

But he found himself going back to the few notes he had taken for his Ethics project. He decided to make a few more, and _then_ study for his test, as Isabella Swan's face would not leave him alone.

_Ms. Swan and Matthew live in a clean, government __subsidized housing complex. The __building __is __shows__signs of wear, but the apartment in which they live is clean and __welcoming. It is apparent that __Ms. Swan is trying __to create a better__life for her son and herself. Met with them this evening __to work on the project, and Ms. Swan was adamant about Matthew doing his homework, stressing to him how important his education was. They interacted together in a loving way. Matthew's father is not in the __picture, as__the __man – and I use the term lightly – has__had no contact with Ms. Swan or Matthew since he was told she was expecting.__Ms. Swan was offered a job today in a medical practice, where she will receive insurance benefits. Will continue to work with Ms. Swan once her benefits have __started, regarding__ a specialist for Matthew._

He looked at his notes, his eyes focusing on the section regarding James, Matthew's father. Asshole was more appropriate, but he did not think his professor would be impressed. He would need to ensure he wrote his paper from as much of an objective point of view as possible.

He tossed that notebook aside and pulled out his Pharmacology book. He attempted to study about beta-blockers, but his mind kept returning to the notebook he had just discarded.

'_Yeah, I was sixteen. I'd never had a boyfriend, and James actually showed interest in me. I was young and __stupid, and__ willing to do whatever to keep him. Didn't work.'_

Edward could not stop thinking of Bella's words, or how nonchalant she was about the whole thing. But he assumed that at the time, she was most likely a wreck and had now basically come to terms with it.

He was now twenty-three years old, and the thought of having a child when he had been a teenager was a terrifying notion. He had always been mature for his age, but the thought of being responsible for an entire human being, other than himself, was a very humbling notion. He could only imagine what she had been through during that time – fear, anger, desperation.

And where did the asshole go? _'He's somewhere where the child support division can't find him.' _Her ability to just accept that fact was what was driving him insane and keeping him from learning about calcium-channel blockers. The fact that the country even needed a child support enforcement division spoke to the breakdown of the family unit. James was a deadbeat dad, and Edward wished he could make him pay for what he had done to her and Matthew. He wondered if Bella would allow him to hire a private detective to find the bastard.

_Whoa! Hold on there! What the fuck are you thinking about? She's a school project. That's it._

_Yeah, but you're going to be taking the Hippocratic Oath. You can't just leave someone to suffer. It's unethical._

_But you won't be seeing her anymore after your Ethics project is done, so just let it go. Do what you're assigned to do, and be done with it._

_But what if she needs more help after that? Who does she have to turn to?_

Edward let out a growl at the internal monologue he was having. Why was he so concerned with Isabella Swan's future well-being? She was a school project. Nothing else.

She was a school project who was alone with a young son. She was a school project with deep brown eyes and an open, loving smile – at times.

_What the fuck is wrong with you? _he screamed at himself. He was unwilling to admit that possibly Emmett had been right.

xXx

Bella tucked Matthew into bed that night after his homework was done and he'd had his bath. "I love you," she told him.

"Love you, too. Mom?"

"What is it, baby?"

"Edward sure is nice, ain't he?" he asked, before turning over and closing his eyes.

She smoothed his hair back and kissed his head. "Isn't he, and yeah, he is."

He rolled his eyes at the correction and yawned, his mouth opening wide. "Wish he was my daddy," he said with a sigh, before dozing off to sleep.

Bella felt as if she had been slapped. Matt had never asked particularly about his father, and she had yet to be forthcoming with the information. He had never mentioned even wanting a father figure around, and she had assumed that the time he spent with Charlie had been enough for him. Her best friend, Jacob Black, had also spent some male bonding time with him, but she figured that he had not been missing that aspect of his life.

But Edward? He was nowhere near her league. He was a college graduate, in medical school. His station in life was much higher than hers.

She was a single mother, who lived on minimum wage and relied on Medicaid. Why in the world Matt would even say that, she had no idea, but she felt the hotness spread over her face and neck.

She turned his lamp off and shut the door, preparing to get her household chores done before bed. She had a busy day coming up, and she did not want to be up too late.

She washed the few dishes that were in the sink – since Edward had taken care of dinner – and straightened up the apartment after ensuring the locks were in place. She then hopped in the shower, luxuriating in the feeling of the hot water running over her tense muscles.

She washed her hair with her favorite strawberry shampoo, inhaling deeply.

She thought again of Matt and his thoughts on Edward. _What is he thinking? Does he need a father figure?_ she wondered. _But it wouldn't be Edward… that would be ridiculous. Like Edward would be interested in me. I just need to talk to Jake and Dad and see if they can spend more time with Matt._

She quickly finished her shower and toweled off roughly. She was angry at herself for even thinking of Edward. She was just a school project to him, and then he would be out of their lives – drifting in, before drifting out.

She did not want Matt to get too attached – it would hurt him too much when the time came for Edward to leave – but how was she to stop it? He had to spend time with them, and he had even set her up with a job in his father's medical practice. She did owe him, but she was afraid of how Matthew would handle the separation when the time came, if he was already so attached.

Aloof. That was it. She would just need to remain distant when she was around Edward, and hopefully, Matt would pick up on that. She did not need to be hurt again, and she certainly did not want her son to go through that.

She would not get hurt again. She did not think she could handle it twice.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you to my fabulous team of helpers – my ficwife and pre-reader, EternallyCullen and my fantastic beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar – for all of your help! Check their work out if you're looking for some great reads!**

**If you'd like to be notified regarding teasers and updates, follow me on Facebook under LisaDawn Fanfiction and on Twitter under (at)LisaDawn75.**

**I started a thread on the Twilighted forums as a way for me to respond to questions and reviews. I'm finding that with the wonderful response you've all given me, I'm not quite able to keep up with answering the reviews personally. Visit me over at http:/www . twilighted . net / forum / viewtopic . php?f=44&t=16112 if you would like to discuss the story!**

**Most of all, thank you to everyone who is reading – your response has left me humbled and overwhelmed! It's fabulous!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Twilight except the books and DVDs. Stephenie Meyer owns everything else. Matthew, however, is mine!**

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><p>Bella woke up early the next morning, excited about her new job. She was going to be learning the ropes at Dr. Carlisle Cullen's office and helping him with medical procedures. She finally had a job where she could make a difference – and get off of public assistance. She now had a position that she could turn into a career.<p>

She rolled Matthew out of the bed, rushing him into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his he was doing that, she threw together a quick breakfast for him, and then fixed herself up while he ate.

They left together, and she prayed the truck would start. The starter was about to go out on it, but she needed to actually collect a paycheck before she could buy the part. _Come on, baby. Two more __weeks. Just__ make it two more weeks._

Luck was with her, as the truck started after two attempts.

She hurriedly dropped Matt off at school, reminding him to take the bread off of his corndog at lunch.

"I know, Mom," he said, a slight undertone of exasperation in his voice. He was getting good at counting his carbs in his head, along with saying no to sugar.

It was just hard for her to let him go.

"Bye, honey. Have a good day," she called after him.

He turned and waved at her, and she pulled back into the exiting traffic. Now was the moment of truth. If she could not swing this job, she didn't know what she would do.

But she _would_ handle it. _I'm not gonna fuck this one up. It's too important, plus… benefits. _Once she had been there for a while and showed them that she was a good worker, she would ask Dr. Cullen about possibly seeing Matthew for his diabetes – and about a referral to a pediatric endocrinologist.

She arrived ten minutes early and was greeted by Sheila, the office manager.

"Hi, there, Bella. Welcome to the office. We're all so glad to have you here," she said warmly.

Bella had always been suspicious of other people, especially when they were nice to her. She would be friendly and do her job, but she would keep her personal issues to herself. She was going to treat this job as a professional, not just as a disposable position.

Sheila took her through the office and introduced her to the small staff. Laney was Dr. Cullen's nurse, and Amanda was his current medical assistant, who was leaving in two weeks, due to her husband's job transfer. Brenda was the receptionist at the front counter, and Danielle was the billing clerk. And that was it – only five workers, excluding Dr. Cullen.

Sheila gave her a quick rundown of how things happened in the office. "Now, Dr. C goes to the hospital first to make rounds. He's usually here by nine, and then we see patients, break for lunch at noon, come back at one to see more patients, and then leave at five."

Bella was taking notes in a small notebook. "That sounds like a good system."

"It works out well for us. We all alternate lunches and cover for each other. You and Laney will eat at separate times, in the event the doc needs you. Then Brenda and I go to lunch, and then Danielle, and we answer the phone for her. It will be easy once you get into the routine."

She showed Bella the nurses' station and the cubicle she would be working at. "Basically, you will assist Dr. C with procedures and prepare the patient and rooms for him. Other things will be handled by Laney, but you will call the patients back, take their vitals, and escort them to the room. Then, once they are gone, you will clean the equipment, clean up any mess that's been left by the doc, and ready the room for the next patient. Any questions?"

Bella was writing furiously. "Not at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of something later."

"Feel free to ask. It worries me when new employees don't ask questions."

Bella agreed with her. "I do have one question. Is it all right for me to carry my cell phone in my pocket?" She explained a bit about Matthew and how the school might need to get in touch with her quickly.

Sheila shook her head. "No, that's fine, as long as it's on vibrate."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

Sheila handed her off to Amanda, the current assistant. "She's all yours."

Bella spent that morning learning exactly what Amanda did and where she kept things. Dr. Cullen came in around a quarter after nine, and he greeted Bella by name.

"Bella! It's so good to see you again. I trust everyone is helping you get acclimated to the office?"

She smiled a genuine smile at him. "Oh, yes, sir. Everyone has been wonderful."

"Bella?" he asked. "Just one thing."

"Yes, sir?"

"Please don't call me sir," he said with a smile. "You can call me doc, or Dr. C if you wish. That's what everyone here all call me."

She laughed lightly. "Yes sir – I mean, yes, Dr. C."

He nodded at her in approval. "Well, ladies, let's get the show on the road."

Amanda and Bella began bringing patients in, and Bella watched as she assessed the patient quickly and what she charted in the medical record.

The day flew by, and before she knew it, it was time for lunch. She and Amanda covered for Laney while she went out to eat, and then Amanda showed her the break room. "You can either leave to eat, or eat in here. Whichever you prefer."

"I'll eat here. I brought a sandwich." Bella pulled out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and an apple from her purse. She then pulled out her cell phone to call the school nurse to check on Matthew.

"Hey, Bella. Matt's done fine today. His sugar before lunch was one hundred and eight. I gave him a unit of regular insulin, and it was one hundred fifteen after lunch."

She sighed in relief. "Thanks, April. I appreciate it." April was the school's nurse, who took care of Matt's sugar when he was there. She called every day after his lunch break to see how he was doing.

"Everything okay?" Amanda asked. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help but overhear."

Bella nodded. "It's okay. My son, Matthew, has Type I diabetes, and I always call around lunch to check on his sugar. It's very fragile and hard to control."

"Awww, poor kid. You should bring him to see Dr. C. He's really good with diabetes."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. "So, he'll see our family members?"

"Oh, yeah. He doesn't mind."

Bella spent the rest of her lunch break making small talk with Amanda, but her mind was whirling. _Once the insurance is in effect, I'll talk to Danielle about making him an appointment. _She couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be if Dr. Cullen could actually make some adjustments for Matthew, so he was not as fragile. She was not deluded. She knew he couldn't be cured, but if only it didn't rule their lives…

xXx

Bella pulled herself up off of the couch to answer the knock at the door. Her feet and legs screamed in protest. She had been on her feet all day, and now, she ached from the waist down, but she didn't mind; it was the ache after hard work, and she was just grateful for the job.

She peeked through the peephole, to see Edward Cullen standing on the other side.

_Shit! I forgot he was coming over tonight. _She knew she looked like hell, with her hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail and wearing her ragged old sweats and a t-shirt that was faded and stained. _Oh, well, it's not like it matters what you look like around him._

She pulled the door open. "Hi, Edward."

"You forgot, didn't you?" he asked, eyeing her choice of apparel.

She crossed her arms. "Problem?" She was tired and cranky, which was not a good combination, especially when Edward was around. It was as if he were a flame to her gasoline.

He shook his head, continuing to gapeat her. This was as real as he had ever seen her, and he thought she looked beautiful. "Not at all. Hard day?"

She ignored him and turned from the door, walking to the table. "Well, are you coming in, or not?" she called over her shoulder when she didn't hear the door close behind her.

"Yeah, since you invited me in so warmly."

She glared at him. "Bite me."

_Holy hell, was she in a bad mood. _"Sure. Where do you want it?" he asked, snapping his teeth together.

She stared at him wide-eyed, before allowing the corners of her mouth to pull up in what he thought was either a smile or a grimace. "All right, before we get into another fight, let's get to work."

"You started it."

"And I'm ending it. So, let's work."

"How was today?" he asked. He hadn't seen his father, as he had driven straight from Seattle.

She scowled. "It was good, but I'm exhausted. That's why I'm so bitchy tonight. So... sorry in advance for anything I may say."

He laughed lightly. "Apology accepted, I think. I guess it depends on what you say."

Bella did give him a smile at that. "Let's get going." She sat down at the table and folded her hands together.

He pulled his notebook out, along with some official looking papers. "Okay, first of all, I need to ask you some personal questions," he said hesitantly.

Her eyes narrowed. "Like what?"

"Just what's on this form. Um, full name, got it. Address?"

She gave him her address.

"Phone?"

"Just have my cell phone. The regular phone was disconnected yesterday."

He glanced at her quickly, and then pulled his emerald eyes back down to the paper. "Occupation. Got it." He went on murmuring questions that he already knew the answer to. "Sorry about this in advance, but do you use any alcohol or drugs?"

Her hackles were raised immediately. "What the fuck do you mean by that? What do you think?" she spat.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, but it's a question I have to fill out."

"Oh," she muttered, deflated. "Sorry. Answer is no, of course not."

"Do you own a vehicle?"

She nodded. "The old red Chevy truck in the lot."

_Ah, so that piece of shit was hers. _For some reason, however, it didn't surprise him.

"Significant other?" he asked with trepidation.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. George Clooney. What the hell do you think?" she asked with a glare in his direction.

"We'll say that's a no," he replied, his heart doing a little flip-flop at the confirmation.

"What about other family members who help you out?" he inquired.

Bella sighed. "Well, my dad helps all he can, but his job keeps him really busy. And my friends Angela and Jacob help some, but they're busy with their own lives. I can't run to them every time I need something."

He looked at her strangely.

"Well, I could if I absolutely needed something, and they'd drop it all for me, but I don't want to burden them – or anyone."

Her last statement made him ache inside. "You're not a burden, Bella," he said softly.

She kept her eyes downcast. "Edward, I know you're just being nice, but I'm even a burden to you, just by having to do this project."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked her angrily.

She continued to stare at her hands, which were tightly clasped. "You could have stayed in Seattle, but because you got assigned to me, you have to make the trip here so much more than necessary."

He sighed. He did have to travel home to Forks quite a bit now, instead of crashing with friends in their apartments when he had several classes all in a couple of days time. But he didn't mind. "Bella, don't worry about it. I would have to do the project anyway."

She pulled her eyes up to his finally, and he knew he had just said the wrong thing, as hers were spitting brown sparks. "So that's all I am, is a fucking project."

"Bella, I didn—"

She cut him off. "No need to explain. Just ask your damn questions, and be done with it. Thank you for everything you've done, but if you'd like to do the rest by phone, I won't tell your teacher." She angrily pushed her chair back and went into the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Bella, that wasn't what I meant."

She whirled around, almost colliding with him, as he had followed her. "Oh, just admit it, Edward. You're only here because of your stupid project, and you're only being nice to me because you pity me. Well, I don't need your damn pity, or anyone's, for that matter."

At this rate, he was never going to get his project done. "I know you don't want pity, Bella, but that doesn't mean you have to be a bitch to everyone who's nice to you. Do you have so many friends that you couldn't use one more?"

She stayed silent.

"At first, yes, you were just the subject for my project, but then I got to know you, and I want to be your friend, Bella. But if you don't want that, then fine," he said angrily, before packing up his stuff and walking out of the door.

Bella was stunned. Shocked. _What the hell just happened?_

Edward had finally had enough of her attitude and called her on it, and she found that she didn't want him to leave; she wanted him to stay. It was finally obvious to her that he did not look at her as a pity case. Maybe he really did want to be her friend. He had told her that he had never met anyone like her in the pizza parlor, and he had seemed genuine.

Could men be trusted? More importantly, could Edward be trusted?


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I want to make sure to thank everyone who has left me a review on this story. I've been overwhelmed by the results and, unfortunately, have not had the time to respond to each one, like I want to. I've tried to make sure that I've responded to any that had a question. I've started a thread on the Twilighted forums that I'm hoping to use to answer questions that you all have and to give a little inside information on the story. I'd love for everyone to drop by, say "hi" or ask your questions. I will still continue to try to respond to reviews that do have questions. You can find me at http:/www . twilighted . net/forum/viewtopic . php?f=44&t=16112. I would love to get into a deeper discussion with everyone despite reviews. I will try to explain Bella's behavior a bit, as many are kind of upset with the way she's acting. **

**Also, as always, a big thanks to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and my beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar for their help and feedback. You are both lovely!**

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><p>The next week was one of the worst weeks Bella could ever remember. Things at Dr. Cullen's office had gone well, but home had been miserable for her. Edward had not come back; he had only called her once to ask a few questions, just as she had suggested.<p>

Matthew was moping at Edward's sudden disappearance. "Mom? When's Edward coming back?" he asked.

Bella sighed. This was what she had been afraid of in the first place – Matthew becoming too attached too quickly, and then having to deal with the grief and pain when Edward pulled back.

_But why did Edward pull back? _she asked herself. When she was finally open and raw with herself, she knew exactly why.

She had pushed him away, all because she was afraid of being hurt, but in exchange, she had inadvertently caused pain to her son – and herself. He apparently had needed a positive male role model, and Edward had seemed to take an interest in Matt – and her. But just as she always did, she had hurt him before he could so the same to her.

"I'm not sure, honey. His assignment may be over," she said.

"But he'll still come back around, right? I thought he liked me."

The hopeful look on his face broke her heart. "I don't know, sweetie. He's really busy with school. He may not have time."

Matthew looked down, his face sad. "Figures," he whispered.

After that conversation, the night didn't get any better. Matt cried himself to sleep, and Bella was tempted to do the same. She knew she had to fix things, but part of her wondered if the clean break would not be easier in the long run, even though it was difficult at the moment.

Her dilemma was answered when Edward walked into his father's office the next day.

"Hey, Brenda," he said to the receptionist. "Dad around?"

"Hi, Edward," she said a bit breathlessly. "He's seeing a patient."

He nodded and walked through the door. "Will you tell him I'm in his office, please?" he asked.

"Sure," she sighed, her eyes following him.

Bella was at the nurse's station, completing some forms, when she heard Edward's voice. She normally did not pay attention to what was occurring at the reception desk, so she was a bit disturbed that she was already so attuned to him.

He walked through the door and by her station. He nodded at her, walking on to his father's office.

Bella was stung. _But wasn't this what you wanted? Didn't you want to just get the project completed and cut all ties? You knew it would be less painful that way…_

Still, if she admitted it to herself, it was already very painful. And it was hurting Matt.

She had to apologize, as much as she despised admitting she was wrong.

She continued doing her work, while keeping an eye out for Edward. After an hour, she overheard him bidding his father good-bye, and she stood at her cubicle, waiting for him to pass.

He stopped and talked to Laney for a few minutes, and then, when he was walking by her, she spoke up.

"Edward?" she said softly.

He turned to her, his eyes hooded. "Yes, Ms. Swan?"

Okay, it hurt a lot. She wasn't sure why she cared, but it bothered her that he would be so cold to her, even though that had been _her_ plan to begin with. "Do you have a minute?"

He looked at her for a few moments, before nodding. She led him into an empty supply room. Her mouth was suddenly dry.

"Look, Edward, I won't take up much of your time, but I just wanted to apologize for my behavior the other night. You were right. I-I keep waiting to get hurt again, and I ended up hurting you, instead. I'm sorry," she said, her eyes filling up with tears, despite her best effort to keep them at bay.

He sighed. "Bella, do you really think I would deliberately hurt you, especially after knowing your history. I know it's hard for you to trust anyone, and I know you have a son to protect. I respect the hell out of that. But don't treat me like the bad guy – especially before you even get to know me."

She nodded, feeling a tear escape and rolling down her cheek. "You're right," she whispered, and jumped when she felt his thumb come into contact with her skin as he wiped the lone tear away. His simple touch had sent electric volts through her entire nervous system, causing her skin to tingle.

He pulled his hand back. "Apology accepted." He smiled that lopsided smile at her.

Her heart began to beat faster, and she took some deep breaths to calm herself. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it was freaking her out a bit. No man should be able to wield that kind of power, and no woman could be immune to that type of charm. "So, do you still need to come over for your project?" she asked, hoping he would not hear the quivering in her voice.

He looked appraisingly at her for a moment. "Do you think you could get a sitter for tomorrow night?"

"I don't know. Why?" Her heart was galloping at the glint in his emerald eyes.

He smiled at her. "It's a secret, but it has to do with the project."

She hesitated. "Um, all right," she agreed. "Do I need to wear anything special?"

He shook his head. "Just be you."

Bella felt as if her heart were in her throat suddenly. "Okay," she choked out.

He grinned at her. "Great. I'll pick you up around five tomorrow night."

She nodded numbly. "Okay."

He said good-bye to the rest of the staff and walked out to his car. Bella was still standing in the supply room; again, she wondered what the hell had just happened.

xXx

"I think you look great," Angela said to her, as Bella was made to pirouette in front of her. She was wearing an outfit she had borrowed from Angela – a pair of soft gray dress pants, matched with a black, tailored, button down shirt.

Bella looked down at herself, self-consciously smoothing imaginary dust from her pants. "Are you sure? What if I'm too dressed up for what he has in mind?"

Angela shook her head. "You look fantastic. And you're not too dressed up; you're dressed for anything. There's a difference."

Bella mock-glared at her best friend. "What's the difference?"

Angela grinned at her. "The difference is, you look fabulous! He won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

She rolled her eyes. "That's not what we're doing. We're working on his project."

"Alone? When the project is about Matt? Yeah, sure." She grinned even wider at her.

"Really, Angela. This is more of a business meeting." Bella offered a lopsided grin.

Angela burst into laughter. "You are so delusional, Bella. But I want you to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Promise me that you won't let your temper get the best of you. You've given Edward a really hard time, from what you've told me, and it sounds to me like he just wants to help."

Bella laughed guiltily. "Yeah, but it's so hard when he says something stupid to me."

"Give him a chance, Bella. He could be the best thing that's happened to you in a long time. Don't be so sensitive."

"The best thing?" Bella asked. "I told you, this is more of a business meeting than anything."

Angela rolled her eyes. "It's a date, Bella! Open your eyes, girl!"

_Whatever… Edward would _not_ want to date me. Our worlds are too different. _Bella finally nodded, just to appease her friend.

Matt walked into the room, carrying his new coloring book that Angela had brought him. "Wow, Mom. You look nice."

She laughed. "Thanks, kiddo."

"Is Edward still coming over?" he asked, his chocolate brown eyes shining in anticipation.

"I hope so," she muttered, continuing to smooth her clothing. "Or else I got all dressed up for nothing."

Just at that moment, a knock sounded on her door, causing Bella's stomach to plummet. _Oh, God. He's here, and we're going to be alone. _She thought of the last time she had been alone with a man who was not her father and shuddered. _Get a fucking grip, Bella. He's not going to ravish you in the car. _She felt the familiar feelings of panic and took some deep breaths.

Angela eagerly opened the door. Her gasp was audible, even to Bella. "Hi," she said, a bit breathless. "I'm Angela, Bella's best friend. You must be Edward." She thrust her hand forward to take his. "It's so nice to meet you. Bella's done nothing but talk about you for days," she said with a big smile on her face.

Bella felt her face flush hot, instantly. She was going to kill Angela.

Edward laughed lightly. "Has she? I hope it's been good things," he said, and actually looked worried, causing Bella to feel even worse.

Had she really been that big of a bitch?

"Oh, yeah," Angela chimed in. "Nothing but good things. She's really looking forward to tonight, too."

Bella gritted her teeth. "Ang, you think I can talk a bit?" she asked with a tight smile. She knew that Angela was trying to sway him to her side before she could be alone with him. Angela's trust in her self-control – at least, where Edward was concerned – was obviously low on the confident scale.

Bella could feel a matchmaking scheme going on in Angela's head.

"Hey, Matt!" he called out, and laughed when Matt ran over to hug his legs. "I've missed you, too, buddy," he said softly.

Bella felt a lump in her throat. This could end up worse than she thought. She could deal with her own pain when things came to an end, but she hated to put Matt through that.

"I've missed you, too, Edward. Guess what? I got a hundred on my spelling test this week!"

Edward gave him a high-five. "Good job, man. I'll have to bring you a treat when I come back."

Matthew did a small happy dance. "So, you're gonna come back?"

Edward's bright, green eyes slid up to meet Bella's. "I'm planning on it."

She felt her heart turn a flip flop, and her stomach dropped. _What the hell is going on here? What is wrong with me?_

"Shall we?" Edward asked Bella, holding the door open.

"Matt, you be good and listen to Angela," she said, stooping down to give him a hug.

"I will, Mom," he said, hugging her back. "Bye, Edward!"

"See ya, Matt. Angela, it was a pleasure to meet you," he said as he held the door for Bella, gesturing that she should walk ahead. "I hope to see you again."

Angela grinned. "Oh, you will."

Edward walked beside Bella to his silver car, that, to her, looked so out of place in the parking lot filled with older, less flashy cars_. _He was close enough that their arms brushed occasionally, but he made no attempt to touch her.

He assisted her into the car with a small smile, and then quickly made his way over to the driver's side. "So, how has your week been?" he asked politely.

_Like hell. _"Fine. Yours?" she asked in return, determined to make her prior behavior up to him. Angela had told her to give him a chance, so she would try.

He nodded while pulling out onto the street. "It was long. I hadn't realized how quickly I had gotten used to driving to Forks and hanging out with you and Matt."

_Hanging out with you and Matt. Was that what we had been doing? Or is he glossing over the fact that I was a school project that he had to deal with?_

_Stop it, Bella! He's been nothing but nice and kind, although he has no clue about your life, apart from what you've told him._

_You haven't told him much, except for the bad parts, and he's still coming around._

_Yeah, for school, dipshit!_

_But what if Ang is __right, and__ it's not just for school?_

_Don't be a damned idiot! You know the truth. No decent man is going to want a woman who is drawing Medicaid and had a child as a teenager. He's gonna think you're just looking for a meal ticket._

_But what if he's different?_

_He's a man! Don't forget your motto that men are scum! You're just gonna get hurt again._

_But he doesn't seem like that type, even though he is privileged. He's different. Why don't you give him a chance? You haven't been out with a man since you were sixteen._

_Yeah, and remember how that went?_

"Bella?" Edward interrupted the war going on in her head.

"Sorry. Daydreaming," she partially explained. "Did you say something?"

He smiled that crooked smile that was quickly becoming her favorite. "Yeah, I said that we're going to Port Angeles, as long as that's okay with you."

She returned his smile, a bit of shyness making hers fainter. "Yeah, that sounds fine. What are we doing, anyway?"

"I told you, we're working on the project."

"Then what's in Port Angeles?"

He turned his emerald eyes upon her. "A place where we can get to know each other a bit better and hopefully start over?" He phrased the last as a question.

_Don't be an idiot! _she screamed at herself. "I-I think I'd like that."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reading, alerting, and reviewing! I love you all! Here is Chapter 9; I hope you all enjoy a bit of a mellower chapter.**

**Thanks as always to my pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen, and to my fantastic beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar, for their help and encouragement. Muah!**

* * *

><p>"Bella?" Edward interrupted the war going on in her head.<p>

"Sorry. Daydreaming," she partially explained. "Did you say something?"

He smiled that crooked smile that was quickly becoming her favorite. "Yeah, I said that we're going to Port Angeles, as long as that's okay with you."

She returned his smile, a bit of shyness making hers fainter. "Yeah, that sounds great. What are we doing, anyway?"

"I told you, we're working on the project."

"Then what's in Port Angeles?"

He turned his emerald eyes upon her. "A place where we can get to know each other a bit better and hopefully start over?" He phrased the last part as a question.

_Don't be an idiot! _she screamed at herself. "I-I think I'd like that."

He unleashed the power of his eyes upon her, occasionally glancing at the road. "I'd like that, too." He held his hand out to her. "I'm Edward Cullen; it's nice to meet you, Isabella Swan. Or do you prefer Bella?"

She shook his hand, a small smile on her face. "I thought they only did that in movies," she teased with a laugh.

He prolonged holding onto her hand a bit more than necessary, his own long fingers wrapping around her smaller ones. "Not always," he replied with a smile.

Her laugh had caused his stomach to clench, and he vowed that his objective for the evening was to get one of her rare, genuine smiles – just for him. _Right now, she's actually being civil. Wonder what I've done differently to spare her wrath…_

"I will say that your manners are impeccable. It's refreshing."

He nodded. "My mother was always tough on us when it came to our manners. Of course, I don't know how much of it stuck with my older brother, Emmett."

She smiled. "Tell me about your family, Edward."

_I'm__ going to give him a chance… give him a chance… give him… Breathe, girl, breathe!_ Again, Edward had turned his jewel-toned eyes upon her, and she felt as if he could see all the way into her soul.

He twisted his head back to the road and laughed at the thought of his brothers. They had all turned out so different, yet were very similar and always had each others' backs.

"Well, Emmett's a year older than me, and he's currently going to the University of Washington on a football scholarship. We all figure that he'll end up as a draft pick."

She gasped. "You mean that he'll play professional football in the NFL?"

Edward smiled. "Yeah; we're all really proud of him."

"I can imagine. So, is he your only brother?" she asked, genuinely interested.

He shook his head. "No, I also have a younger brother, Jasper, who goes to Whitman College in Walla Walla and is majoring in psychology."

"Wow," she whispered. "That's impressive." _But I __guess when__ your dad's a doctor, you can afford to send three kids to college, all with new cars and cell phones… _"They must be very proud of all of you; you're going to be a doctor, one of your brothers will be a psychologist, and the other will be a pro football player. Those are really major accomplishments." She found herself wishing she could send Mathew to college, but there was no way she could afford it. She hoped he would be eligible for financial aid, when the time came.

"They're happy as long as we're happy," he said with a direct look at her. "You've met my father, but I'd like for you to meet my mother. I think you and she would get along great."

_Meet his mother? Meet his father outside of the work setting? What is he playing at? _She made a noncommittal sound and turned to watch the greenery flashing by.

Edward allowed a few minutes to elapse in silence, before he spoke again. "What about your parents and family? I know your father, of course, but I don't think I've seen your mother around here."

She shook her head, clenching her hands together in her lap. "No, she lives in Jacksonville with her husband. I came here when I was fifteen, after she got married and wanted to go on the road with Phil."

"Is he a musician?"

"No, he played minor league baseball at the time. He's a coach at a local school now."

"How often do you see her?"

She shrugged. "About every Christmas. She and Phil fly up here for the holidays, since I can't afford to go to them."

"Oh. So she's not very involved?"

Bella shrugged again. "She's as involved as she can be to live across the country. She was very upset with me when I told her I was pregnant. Told me I was throwing my life away."

Edward sighed. "Bella, you've done a wonderful job with Matt and with your life."

"Thanks, but there are things I would have done differently. I had plans to go to college, but obviously, that didn't work out. Where are we going, anyway?" she asked, trying to shift the focus off of her.

He grinned at her. "We're going to Bella Italia, an Italian restaurant in Port Angeles."

_Was Angela right? Is this a_… _date? _"Am I dressed all right?" she asked, looking down at the pants again and brushing some imaginary wrinkles out of the fabric.

"You're dressed perfectly. In fact, you look beautiful tonight."

Bella felt her face flush hot again. She was not accustomed to being complimented. "Uh, thank you."

He gave her that favorite, crooked smile of hers. "You're welcome."

By then, the first houses and businesses were beginning to slide by the windows. They remained in companionable silence, until he parked on the street in front of a charming restaurant with a sign that said "Bella Italia."

"Here we are," he said. "We have reservations for six. I hope you like Italian food."

She let out a full laugh at that statement. "Isabella, remember?" she asked, pointing at herself. "I love Italian food."

He smiled a wide smile. "Excellent." He shut the engine off and walked around to open her door. As he had parked close to the curb, he offered his hand to assist her out of the car.

The moment her skin touched his, she felt that same electric current buzz through her hand and up her arm. _What the hell is this guy doing to me? _She wondered if he had felt the same feeling, but his masked expression gave nothing away.

"Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm to her.

She suddenly felt giddy, as if she had stepped back in time, to when men had proper manners and feminism had yet to take off at a galloping speed. "Yes." She took his arm a bit tentatively, expecting the jolt of electricity again, but this time, there was nothing. Then she realized she was touching his jacket, and not his skin.

He escorted her into the restaurant, making sure to hold the door open for her. They walked up to the hostess, who stared breathlessly at Edward.

Bella gritted her teeth. She knew that Edward was unusually attractive, but could this hostess not see that he was with _her_? Bitch. She bit her tongue, so as not to lose her temper.

"May I help you?" she asked, the sexual undertone blatantly clear in her voice and double entendre. She openly ignored Bella.

Edward appeared as if he were oblivious to the hostess' invitation. "We have a reservation. Cullen."

"Ah, yes. Mr. Cullen. Just the two?" she asked, tossing a glare at Bella.

Bella glared back.

She jumped when she felt Edward's arm snake around her waist. "Yes, and we'd like a private table, if you don't mind," he said, slipping a green bill into her hand.

Bella could not see how much he'd tipped the girl, but from her wide eyes and instant escort to a corner table in an empty area of the restaurant, she could only imagine how much it had been.

The hostess laid two menus on the table and sauntered away, throwing one last, longing look at Edward. He pulled Bella's chair out for her, and then sat.

"So, what's good here?" Bella asked nervously, trying to calm the shaking of her voice. Mundane conversation was what she needed now to ease her nerves. It certainly felt like a _date_.

Edward picked up his menu and glanced over it. "Everything is delicious here. I've never had anything that wasn't good."

"So, you come here often?" she asked innocently, wondering how many dates he had brought to this very restaurant. She could only imagine.

He continued to read. "Yeah. This is my mom's favorite restaurant, so anytime we're all at home, we always come here."

Oh. She couldn't figure out how to mention previous dates – and was unsure why she should care – so she continued to study her menu. The mushroom ravioli sounded especially good.

Suddenly, a waitress was at their table. Bella could tell the hostess had informed her of Edward's perfection, as she basically ignored Bella. "Welcome to Bella Italia," she said. "What can I do for you?" she asked Edward, causing Bella to roll her eyes. _Give me a break!_

Edward looked at Bella. "Bella, what would you like to drink? Order anything you'd like."

Typically, in the rare events that Bella was able to eat out, she ordered water, as it was free, but Edward had said anything. "I'd like a Coke, please."

"Make that two," Edward told the waitress, keeping eye contact with Bella. "Have you already decided what you'd like to eat?" he asked her.

She nodded.

"We'd like to go ahead and order, if that's all right," he said to the waitress, turning his eyes onto her and pouring on the charm.

The waitress took a shuddering breath. "Of course. What would you like?" she asked Edward, a smirk on her face.

It took all of Bella's self control to keep from taking the salt shaker and knocking the woman in the head.

"Bella?" Edward asked. "What would you like?"

She didn't miss the slight flash of yearning in his eyes, but dismissed it, knowing it was not meant for her. "Um, I'd like the mushroom ravioli, please."

"I'll have the same," Edward said, continuing to look at Bella.

The waitress wrote their order down with a sigh and left. Bella wondered if she had finally gotten the hint. Bella could not understand how Edward was able to ignore the woman, who was very attractive.

She was right back with their drinks and a basket of bread. Bella just stared at the bread, her stomach in knots. She took a sip of her Coke, instead, enjoying the fizzing sweetness in her mouth. "So," she said, her voice quivering, "what are we here for?"

Edward gave her his now famous crooked grin. "Well, I thought it would be good for us to get to know about each other, as it will help the project go much smoother. Plus, I was hoping we could bury the hatchet."

Bella took another sip of her Coke, trying to steady her shaking hand. If they were just going to talk, could this really be a… date? "That sounds good to me. Let me apologize to y—"

Edward interrupted her. "Bella, I am the one who owes you an apology. I came into this project with stereotypes already in mind, and I've learned a valuable lesson from that. I'd like to try to explain, if that's okay with you?" he asked, his eyes pleading.

She nodded. "Of course."

He sighed. "Bella, I was born into a very easy life. Everything came easy to me. I learned quickly, never had to study in school… it was as easy as breathing. I've always looked up to my father, and wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I would see my father come home every day, and he would be so happy that he had helped people. I wanted that satisfaction.

"So, I made school my priority. From the time I was little, I wanted to help people – help them get better. I didn't socialize much in high school; I was too worried about studying for the ACTs and SATs, so that I could get into a good medical school."

"Where did you go to high school?" she asked, knowing he had not gone to Forks High.

"I went to a high school in Philadelphia, which was where we lived before we started college. Mom hated living in the big city, and when we kids were accepted to several schools in Washington, Mom and Dad made the decision to move to Forks. Mom loves the small town life now. Dad likes it, too. I think he likes the smaller medical practice, where he can get to know his patients."

She took another sip of her Coke. "So what do you plan on doing when you're out of med school?"

"I'll probably go into practice with my dad," he replied. He looked at her intently. "I'd like to stay in Forks."

"Hmmm. I guess I thought you'd enjoy the big city better and might stay in Seattle."

Edward shook his head. "Nah. At first, I thought I would, but after being in Forks and getting to know some families, I've decided I like small town life, too. Bella, working in the big hospitals in Seattle had made me a bit prejudiced toward some people, such as patients on Medicaid. From what I saw, they were people who didn't want to work and came into the hospital all of the time, just because. They didn't care; they weren't paying for it.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to know your situation first. I didn't take this project seriously, and instead, I made assumptions, and I realize I was very condescending toward you. I shouldn't have done that, and I hope that you will accept my sincere apology. Please believe me when I say that I am sorry."

Bella blinked quickly so that the tears that had built up in her eyes would not fall. She had never expected such a sincere apology – especially from someone like Edward. They were worlds apart. _He's so much better than I am. Surely this couldn't be happening._

"I owe you an apology, too," she said. "I shouldn't have reacted as sensitively as I did. I know that you weren't trying to be mean. It's just difficult for me to trust anyone after what James did."

Suddenly, the waitress was back at their table with their entrées, along with more drinks. She silently set the dishes in front of them, smiled at Edward, and sauntered back to the kitchen.

"This smells incredible," Bella said, trying to break the tension. She speared a ravioli and popped it into her mouth. "Oh, my God," she murmured.

"Is it good?" Edward asked with a smile.

She nodded and continued to eat. As long as she had food in her mouth, she didn't need to talk. Edward's heartfelt apology had left her close to tears, and she needed some time to regroup.

He ate a few bites, and then laid his fork down. "Bella, I hope that my explanation helped a bit. I know it's no excuse, and I hope that you will forgive me for my previous ideas."

She chewed for a moment. "So, you don't think that now?"

Edward shook his head. "Hell, no. I've never met anyone like you, Bella. You are such an incredible woman – working, raising your son alone, and never complaining."

Bella was stunned. Surely he wasn't complimenting her again!

She still couldn't get past their social class differences, however. Why would he, of all people, admire _her_? She was plain, had a child who was unwanted by his father, and was on public assistance. He was a rich medical student, who was so beautiful, he could be a model. He could have any woman he wanted, so she knew his interest in her was only educational. She did, however, appreciate his heartfelt apology.

"Thank you," she whispered. "And I accept your apology. I'm sorry I was so mean to you."

"You weren't mean," he said with a laugh.

She laughed again. "Yes, I was. I was a total bitch to you."

He nodded slightly. "Okay, maybe a little, but I forgive you. I can understand why you reacted the way you did. It was my fault."

She smiled at him – close to one of the smiles he wanted, but still guarded. "Okay, I think we've both apologized enough for one night. You said this was project related, so what do we need to do tonight?" she asked, grabbing a breadstick from the basket in the middle of the table.

"That was all for now. I just wanted to get you alone so we could air things out. Plus, I thought you might enjoy a night out."

_It's not a date… it's not a date…_

_Quit feeding yourself that bullshit, Bella. He took you out to dinner, you're dressed up… It's a date._

_No, it's not._

_Yes, it is._

_No, it's not._

_You wanna ask him?_

_Oh, hell no. That would be weird, especially if he said it wasn't._

_But don't you want him to say it is?_

_Yes. I mean, no! I mean… I don't know what I want._

She looked up to see Edward looking at her intently.

_What's he thinking? _she wondered. _Is he thinking it's a date?_

She chuckled to herself. She had never obsessed this much over a man before. Not even James, once she thought about it, and that thought left her full of fear.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I feel like I keep repeating myself, but thank you to everyone who's reading, reviewing, and alerting. Follow along with me on Facebook under LisaDawn Fanfiction and on Twitter under (at)LisaDawn75 to get teasers and updates!**

**Thanks to my lovely pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen, and to my fabulous beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. I couldn't do this without them!**

* * *

><p>Bella was silent during the ride home. Her mind was spinning with everything that had occurred that evening.<p>

Earlier, she and Edward had cleared the air, and now apparently understood each other better. He had mentioned her meeting his parents. They had shared a dinner that Edward had paid for. They had made small talk after their deep conversation.

Bella was shocked. Now that she thought about it, all of the signs pointed toward the fact that she had allegedly just been on a _date_ with Edward Cullen.

Once they arrived at her apartment complex, Edward walked her to her door, which did not surprise her. She had never met anyone with such infallible – and old-fashioned – manners. She unlocked the door and discovered that Matt was already in bed and Angela was absorbed in a Lifetime movie. She turned to face Edward.

"Thank you for tonight and for dinner," she said, fidgeting. _What else do I say?_

"I guess Matt's asleep?" he asked, disappointment shining through his façade.

She nodded. "Yeah, he has school tomorrow."

"I can't believe we were there so long," Edward said conversationally.

They had spent a few hours at the restaurant, talking over coffee once they had finished their dinner. They had mostly talked about Edward, as Bella had not been very forthcoming with her own personal information.

She was afraid, if she was honest with herself. Afraid of telling more information than she already had. Afraid of what he would think about her. Afraid of what it would mean if she let him deeper into her's and Matthew's lives.

He stared into her dark brown eyes, his own green eyes glinting in the light. He began to lean forward, and Bella thought, _Oh, my God! Is he going to kiss me? He wouldn't!_

He let his lips land softly on her cheek, instead of going for her mouth. "Goodnight, Bella," he said softly. "I'll call you tomorrow, and we'll have to do this again."

"N-night," she choked out, her skin tingling once again from where they had made contact. She watched as he gave her a soft smile, turned on his heel, and walked down the hallway.

She floated into the apartment, where Angela was looking at her with a knowing expression. "So?"

Bella set her purse down on the table and slipped her shoes off. "So, what?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "You know what! Spill it. Every bit of it."

Bella grinned at her. "First, tell me how Matt's night was."

Angela glared at her friend. "It was great. He ate two bowls of the soup you had in the fridge, his blood sugar was two hundred and twenty three, so I gave him his insulin, and then he took a bath and played in the bubbles forever. We watched _Finding Nemo_, and then he went to bed."

"So, he was good?"

"Of course he was good, Bells. Now tell me about your date with the future Dr. Cullen."

Bella sat down on the couch. "It wasn't a date." _Liar, liar, pants on fire…_

Angela sighed. "Bells, he kissed you good night. It was a date."

"Angela. Trust me. We just got to know each other a bit, ate dinner, and talked. It was to make the project easier."

"Mmmm hmm."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Why can't a man and woman go out and it just be platonic?"

"Because he's gorgeous and totally interested in you."

She scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. There's no way someone like him would be interested in someone like me."

Angela stood up. "Okay, Isabella Swan. That's enough of that. Of course he could be, and he _is_ interested in you. It's all over his face and in his actions. So, just stop it. You are a beautiful and wonderful person. He'd be lucky to have you."

Bella stared at her, her eyes wide. "You're crazy."

Angela sighed. "Trust me, Bella. He's totally into you."

She shook her head. "No, he deserves better – like one of those socialite girls he goes to school with that comes from money, or a classmate. Doctors do _not_ get with girls like me."

"Girls like you? What kind of girl are you?" Angela asked, her voice slightly miffed.

Bella sighed and sank down the couch. "Don't make me say it," she whispered.

Angela squatted down in front of her, grasping her hands. "Bella, I know that James was an ass. He talked you into having sex, and you got pregnant. But _he_ left _you_! And you're better off for it."

She swiped at her eyes. "Thanks for the recap. He left me, because he couldn't stand me anymore! Angela, do you have any idea how scary that was? To be a teenager, pregnant, and the scandal of the town? How people see me as trashy?Tears were flowing down her face at this point, smearing her mascara.

Angela sat on the couch beside her and pulled her into an embrace, gently rocking her back and forth. "Shhh, Bella. Look, I know that James left you and never came back, but that's what makes him trash – not you."

Bella shook her head. "Look at me, Ang! I live in the fucking projects! I can't support my son, and I've been fired from every job I've had! This was not the way my life was supposed to go."

Angela grabbed Bella's face and made her look at her. "Bella! You are the strongest person I know! Look at your son. Look at what a wonderful man you're raising! Who the hell cares where you live? You're on your own, and you're supporting yourself. You refuse to draw a check, and you make do with what you have. How many people can say that? And you have a new job, so it's a clean slate! Stop talking yourself down, Bella!"

Bella sighed and wiped her eyes again. "I just can't help it, Ang. Why didn't he want me?"

"Because he was an asshole. Stop worrying about James, and look at what's in front of you – something much better!"

Bella looked at her questioningly.

"Edward! Edward Cullen! He's ripe for the picking! He obviously has it bad for you, and he really cares about Matt. That's obvious. Kids are a good judge of character, and when was the last time you saw him willingly show affection to another man? He doesn't even hug Ben! Just high fives him." Angela pulled Bella's face around to hers again. "Go for it, Bells. What's the worst that can happen?"

Bella blanched. "A repeat of my life?"

"See, you've already been through the worst; now it's time for good times. And Edward is not like James. Anyone can see that. Just give him a chance, Bella."

xXx

Edward pulled up in the garage next to Emmett's jeep. He noticed that Jasper's car was there, as well. Looked like the whole family would be together for the weekend. His mother would be ecstatic.

He walked through the adjoining door into the kitchen, where his two brothers were at the table, eating a snack. He hadn't realized how late it was, until he glanced at the clock.

"Hey, bro. Where've you been?" Emmett asked, dunking another Oreo in his milk.

"Hey, Jaz," Edward greeted, slapping his brother on the back. "I've been out with Bella."

"Ooohhh, Bella," Emmett drawled out. He started making kissing noises at Edward again, causing Edward to flip him off.

"Who's Bella?" Jasper asked, interested. Edward typically was not interested in dating. He had always been more into his schoolwork and planning for the future.

"She's my Ethics project."

"Bullshit," Emmett said. "She's Edward's new girlfriend."

Edward shook his head. "She is not. We're working together on a project for school."

Jasper looked up. "So, she's in your class?"

"No. I was assigned to her by the guidance office for a project. Her son, Matthew, has uncontrolled diabetes, and she can't get him the help he needs, so my assignment is to make that happen."

"And Edward's in love with her," Emmett teased, making puckered faces at him.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Emmett. We went to dinner and made peace with each other. That was all."

This piqued Jasper's interest. "What? Have you two been fighting?"

"Like cats and dogs," Emmett interjected. "Passionate fights."

Edward looked at him. "And how would you know that?"

"Because I can tell when you get home from her house. You're all wired. But dude, she's not your type."

Edward bristled. "What do you mean?"

Emmett stammered. "Dude, she's… she's…"

"You don't want to finish that sentence," Edward said, his voice cold. "I know what she is, and she's a wonderful mother and person."

Emmett shrugged his shoulders. "Man, I didn't mean… I just meant…"

"I know what you meant."

Jasper looked between the two. "Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?"

Edward turned to his younger brother. "Bella is the subject of my Ethics project; I have to work with her and her son to get him the appropriate medical care. His diabetes is not controlled, and his current doctor refuses to send him to a specialist."

"Why doesn't she just take him to Dad?" Jasper asked.

"She's working there now; Eddie got her a job," Emmett piped in.

Edward grimaced at the nickname Emmett used when he wanted to piss him off. "I got her the interview. Dad hired her. But that's what I want to try, and then get him into a pediatric endocrinologist."

"But why were you out on a date with her tonight, then?" Jasper asked.

"Well, like Emmett said, we've done a lot of arguing. She's the type that doesn't like to take help from anyone, and she worries about what others will think about her." He glared at Emmett. "And it wasn't a date."

"Why?" Jasper asked, confused. "I'd think she'd be grateful for the help."

"You'd think," Emmett muttered.

Edward sighed. "Well, she would have, I think, except I stuck my foot in my mouth the first time we met. I had some prejudices against Medicaid patients, and that came through. She threw me out."

Jasper gasped from laughing so hard.

"I apologized, and then did it again. She was pissed, needless to say. But tonight, I got her to go out to dinner with me, and we worked through all of that. We both understand each other much better, which I needed for the project."

"So you've been out on a date with little Ms. Mommy," Emmett said with a grin.

Edward was getting pissed at Emmett's jabbing. "It wasn't a date, per se. I didn't ask her out on a date."

"But you enjoy her company," Jasper said astutely.

Edward nodded. "Yeah. She's certainly an interesting person. She's been through a lot and doesn't take shit from anyone. I like that about her. Plus, her son is adorable."

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "She has a kid? What do you know about kids?"

"Not a damn thing," Edward said with a laugh. "Except that he's a sweet little boy, who's really sick, and I'm going to help him."

"You seriously like her, don't you?" Emmett asked, all pretense of teasing gone.

Edward hesitated, and then nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Then, go for it, man," Jasper said seriously. "If you like her, she must be something special."

"When do we get to meet her?" Emmett asked.

Edward shook his head. "I'm not bringing her here to meet _you_. You'd do something to embarrass not only me, but her."

Emmett shook his head. "Nah, dude. I promise. If you bring her here, I'll be on my best behavior."

Edward just shook his head and walked up the stairs to his room. He still had a Pharmacology test to study for, and he hoped that now that he had made peace with Bella, he could concentrate on the medication classifications he needed to learn.

He shut his door and flopped onto his bed, his book laid out in front of him. However, Bella's face when he'd kissed her cheek kept pushing to the forefront of his mind.

He had wanted to kiss her lips, but he was afraid he might have been slapped for that. _Take it slow, man. She's jumpy, and you don't want to fuck this up._

_You know that Emmett could be right. He didn't want to say it, but would she fit in your world?_

He shook his head, horrified at the thought. _If she fits with me, that's all that matters. And I really like her. I like who she is. And she'd be perfect with me._

He thought about her – remembering how deep her brown eyes seemed to go, how soft her lips looked, how silky her skin was, and how it shimmered under the lights in the restaurant. He knew that her self-esteem was in the toilet, but he was unsure why. She was a beautiful woman, who looked as if she belonged on his arm.

_But she wasn't brought up in your world…_

He shook his head again to dispel the thought that had creeped in. Why would he care where she was brought up? He had met girls that would fit in his social class, and those women had been vapid and clueless, only wanting a rich husband to buy them things.

That was not the kind of future he wanted.

His father had found his soul mate in college, and they had led a happy life, raising their three boys. Esme had been from a working class family, without much money, but Carlisle had opposed what his father wanted and had married her anyway. And they'd had a happy marriage, which they had both told their sons was what they wished for them.

"_Follow__ your __heart,"_Esme had told them all. Edward knew that she would be supportive of him having a relationship with Bella, regardless of her history. Esme would most likely be thrilled at the idea of Matthew; she loved children.

Edward closed his eyes and pictured Bella in a long, white gown walking toward him down a church aisle.

He imagined the entire ceremony – Bella's brown eyes sparkling up at him as he said his vows, and her gracing him that special smile, Matthew standing beside him, his own brown eyes full of life.

Edward opened his eyes, almost shocked to see he was still in his bedroom. Where the hell had that idea come from? A few hours ago, he was in Port Angeles, sharing a meal with Bella on the pretense of his Ethics project, and now, he was imagining their wedding…

He laughed to himself. He had to get her to actually talk to him, before anything else could progress.

Did he want to? Did he want the daydream he had just had?

Did he want more with Isabella Swan than for her to be just a project subject?

Deep down, he knew the answer to that.

He did. He wanted her for more than just a school assignment.

He wanted all _of_ her… and he wanted it all _with_ her.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Oh, wow. I am stunned by the fabulous feedback I've been receiving. It is truly humbling and gives me warm fuzzies with each review alert I receive. You are all wonderful, and I wish I could answer you each personally. So, just know that I cherish each and every one of you. If you'd like to keep track of updates or be notified of teasers, follow me on Facebook under LisaDawn Fanfiction or on Twitter under (at)LisaDawn75. I'd love to talk to all of you on Facebook, so friend me!**

**Also, I want to send cyber hugs to my pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen, and to my fantastic beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar, for all of their help.**

**And finally, my fabulous ficwife, EternallyCullen, and I have entered a one-shot contest, Showers to Flowers. Check it out and vote for your favorite! It's anonymous, but hopefully you can pick ours out! http: / thewrittenwordrevisited (dot) blogspot (dot) com/p/showers-to-flowers (dot) html?zx=8b2cf30fe8dcde23**

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><p>"Bella!" Amanda yelled. "Phone's for you."<p>

Bella picked up the receiver on her desk, a feeling of dread in her stomach at the small, flashing light. There was only one reason she would get a phone call at work that she could think of. She pushed the line that was on hold and said, "Hello?"

"Bella, it's April, at the school."

"What's wrong?" Bella asked. She could hear the underlying panic in April's voice.

"It's Matt. He was complaining of not feeling well, and when I took his blood sugar, it was too high to register on the monitor. He started vomiting and almost passed out, so I called an ambulance."

_No… No! Please, God, don't do this to me!_

"Okay, I'm on my way," she said, her voice quivering, and then hung the receiver up. She looked around wildly, spotting Sheila across the office.

"Sheila," she said, trying to hold her tears in. "The school just called. Matt's sugar went way up, and they're taking him to the hospital. I-I need to—"

"Go, go," she said, worry on her face. "I hope he's okay."

Bella grabbed her purse. "Thanks," she said, before running out the door. She jumped in her truck and sent up a quick prayer that it would start.

It did.

_Thank you, God. Now, please, work one more miracle for me._

She sped to Forks Community Hospital, pu_s_hing as much speed she could get from her ancient truck. The engine loudly protested, and she again prayed that she would make it.

She was at the hospital within minutes and parked. She took off at a sprint to the Emergency Department entrance, almost smacking into the automatic doors when they didn't open quickly enough. She pushed through and ran to the admitting desk.

"Can I help you?" a bored redhead asked her.

Bella was panting. "Y-yes. I'm Isabella Swan. My son, Matthew, was brought in by ambulance from the elementary school."

"Oh, yeah. Go through those doors and let them know at the desk that you're here," she replied.

Bella nodded and waited impatiently for the double doors to open. She ran through them and up to a man who was at the nurse's station. She repeated the information and was almost sick at the expression on the man's face.

"Yes, Ms. Swan. Your son is back in Trauma Room two. Right this way."

_Trauma room? Why a trauma room?_

She followed him through the corridors, and tears flooded her eyes. Matthew was on a large gurney, which made him look even smaller than he was. He was hooked up to two IVs and had wires coming out from underneath his hospital gown. She saw they led to an EKG machine. His eyes were closed, and his breathing shallow.

"Where's the doctor?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"He'll be with you in a moment."

And then, she found herself alone with Matthew. She perched on the edge of the gurney and picked up his small hand. He was limp, and his eyes remained closed.

"Matt?" she said softly. "I'm here. Mom's here, and I'm not going anywhere."

His eyelids fluttered opened, and he looked at Bella. "Mom?" he whispered.

"Yes, baby. I'm here, and you're going to be fine."

"'Kay," he said, his voice rough, and he closed his eyes, slipping back into sleep.

Finally, after what seemed to be hours to Bella, a doctor came into the room. "Ms. Swan?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I'm Dr. Carrico. We're going to be moving your son up to the pediatric ward. We'll keep him overnight, and then let him go home tomorrow."

"What was his blood sugar level?" she asked.

Dr. Carrico flipped through a few pages. "It was fine… it was down to three hundred twenty eight."

_Fine? In what world is that fine? _Bella's eyes widened. "What was it when he came in?"

"Five seventeen."

She nodded numbly. "It was one hundred five this morning. Is there anything you can do? Can you get a specialist for him?"

He flipped the chart closed. "Sorry, but Medicaid won't pay for that unless it comes from his regular doctor. We've notified Dr. Ferguson, and he'll see your son tonight and in the morning to discharge him home. It'll be just a few minutes."

And with that, he was gone. Bella had a million questions that were unanswered.

After another hour of waiting, a nurse finally arrived to wheel Matt up to his room in the pediatric unit. Bella could not understand why he wasn't being placed in the ICU.

"Why is he going to the regular peds floor?" she asked.

The nurse shrugged. "The doctor ordered him to go to the floor."

"But he needs to be on an insulin drip! I know my son, and he could easily go into a diabetic coma," she said desperately.

The nurse sighed. "Ma'am, the ICU is already at capacity with Medicaid patients, and Dr. Carrico knows what he's doing. Don't worry about it."

Bella was fuming inside. Oh, how she wished she could unleash her anger upon them, but she reined it in. They were caring for her son, and she didn't want to make things worse.

They were soon settled into a semi-private room on the pediatric ward; Matt was still dozing off and on.

"How much insulin are you giving him?" she asked his new nurse, Julie.

She looked at her paperwork. "Two units of regular."

Bella shook her head. "That's not enough."

"Ms. Swan, I know that you're worried about your son, but I have to follow the doctor's orders. He'll be fine. Dr. Ferguson will be in soon and go over things with you," she said as she went to check the bags hanging on the IV pole.

After Julie left, Bella sank onto the hard couch that was in the room, putting her hands over her face. She could feel the tears leaking through her fingers, but didn't care. Her son could likely die while everyone in that fucking hospital was telling her it would be okay. _Do they not understand that I've been dealing with this for years, and I know what's best for him?_

She heard footsteps enter the room quickly and wiped her face. Dr. Ferguson, the doctor Medicaid had assigned Matthew, was at his bedside.

"Dr. Ferguson," she greeted. "I'm glad you're here." _Maybe now he'll refer him to the fucking specialist!_

He nodded, but did not return her greeting. "Well, it looks like his sugar got a bit too high, but we'll put him back on his sliding scale through tonight and tomorrow and give him some fluids to rehydrate him. You'll be able to go home in the morning."

She gritted her teeth. "What about an endocrinologist? Could one see him while he's here?" she asked hopefully.

He scribbled some notes in the chart and flipped it close. "He doesn't need one. I've dealt with diabetes for years, and he'll stabilize on his own. Don't worry about it," he said firmly, dismissing her.

"We are worried about it," a quiet, yet firm, voice said from the doorway.

Bella whipped her head around, to see Edward standing just inside the room. "Edward?"

Dr. Ferguson pulled his glasses down his nose and looked at Edward over the top of them. "And you are?"

"A family friend and Dr. Carlisle Cullen's son. This child needs to see a specialist, as soon as possible."

He sighed. "Do you know how expensive an endocrinologist is? Are you willing to let your tax dollars go for something like that?" he asked, his lip slightly curled in disgust. "Mr. Cullen, I try to save the state as much money as possible by taking care of problems myself."

Bella felt the tears pouring down her face at his brusque and uncaring tone.

Edward clenched his jaw before speaking. "Are you willing to forsake the oath you took and just let this child die?" he asked harshly.

"He's going to be fine. I've been seeing him for years."

"Yeah. And his blood sugars are so out of control that he is going to end up in a coma! We want a referral to an endocrinologist. More specifically, a pediatric one in Seattle."

Bella was watching the verbal sparring as if she was watching a tennis match. She was speechless, so she continued to let Edward do the talking.

"No, it's unnecessary."

Edward sighed and relaxed his posture a bit. "Fine. Then you're fired. Matthew will not need you as his doctor any longer, and if something happens to him, you'd better hope you have an excellent lawyer."

"You have no authority to do that."

Edward looked over at Bella. "Bella, what do you want?"

She nodded mutely, still unable to speak. Watching Edward come to her rescue was leaving her with a warm feeling inside. It was so nice to be able to rest and not be on the offensive all of the time.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "Then it looks to me like you _are_ fired."

Dr. Ferguson glared at him. "Medicaid decides, not her," he said, pointing at Bella.

"Well, my father, Dr. Cullen, is his new doctor now, so don't worry about it."

"He can't bill for anything. I'm his Medicaid doctor."

Edward glared at him. "We don't give a damn about Medicaid. What we do care about is Matthew – the child in that bed. His services have been switched to my father, as of now." He jerked his head toward the door, letting Dr. Ferguson know he was dismissed.

Dr. Ferguson glared at them once more, before slamming the chart down on the bedside table. "Fine," he spat, and stomped out of the door.

Edward watched him go, and then shut the door. "Bella, are you okay?"

She started to nod, but then shook her head, sinking back down on the couch and burying her face in her hands. "Oh, Edward," was all she could say.

He sat beside her, gently wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Bella. I hope I didn't overstep my bounds."

"N-no. Thank you. But is your father really going to see Matt?"

"Yes. He'll be up as soon as he leaves the office."

She turned her tear-filled eyes to Edward. "But I can't pay him. I can't…"

Edward squeezed her tightly against his side. "Don't worry about that. I meant what I said about him doing it, regardless."

She started crying again. Suddenly, she looked up at him. "How did you know where we were, anyway?"

"Dad called me, and I didn't want you to be here alone."

She breathed in a shaky breath. "T-thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he said, leaning his head on hers. Her hair was silky, and the sensations it caused to his skin were very pleasurable.

Bella tentatively reached out to touch his hand, but she pulled back quickly. The same energizing spark was still there. _What does that mean? And does he feel it?_ She sneaked a glance up at him and thought she saw surprise in his green eyes. She realized that maybe he had.

_Why does that keep happening?_

She pulled herself out of Edward's partial embrace and went to sit on Matthew's bed. He was still sleeping.

"Will your dad send him to a specialist?" she asked hopefully.

Edward nodded. "Yeah, we've already talked about it. He's in complete agreement that he needs specialized care."

Her eyes widened in realization. "But what if his card won't cover it because your dad isn't his Medicaid doctor? Shit," she whispered. "So close."

"Don't worry about that either, Bella."

"I'm not taking a pity handout, Edward."

He clenched his jaw again. "That's not what I'm offering. My father is good friends with a pediatric endocrinologist in Seattle. He said he'd see Matt without billing anything."

"I can't accept that," she responded automatically.

"You can, and you will. You know this is what Matt needs. You've been wanting it for years."

She quickly nodded. "I'll make payments." She would dance naked on the Space Needle, if it meant getting Matthew the care he truly needed.

He shrugged. "I'll leave that up to you and Dr. Taplin."

"Thank you, Edward," she whispered, looking at Matt while she talked. "Tell me he's going to be fine."

Edward walked up behind her and lightly placed his hands on her shoulders. He pretended not to notice her involuntary flinch at contact. "You're welcome. And he's going to be fine. Dad will be here any minute and get things straightened out."

At that moment, Carlisle Cullen entered the room. "Did I hear my name?"

"Dr. Cullen," Bella breathed with relief. "Thank you so much for agreeing to see Matt."

He smiled at her kindly. "Not a problem, Bella. Now, what happened?"

She recounted the day's events and the argument with Dr. Ferguson.

"Why isn't he in the ICU?" Carlisle asked with obvious surprise in his voice.

Bella shook her head. "They said in the ER that he didn't need it."

Carlisle disappeared for a few moments, returning with Julie, Matt's nurse. "I want him transferred to the ICU, immediately. He needs to be on an insulin drip, and we need to arrange transportation to Children's Hospital in Seattle."

She hesitated. "Dr. Cullen, he's Medicaid, so I don't know if that will all be authorized."

He gave her a stern look. "Did I ask if it would be covered? You can tell the hospital board that if it's not, they can either bill me or write it off, but this child is in critical condition. I don't care if he's Medicaid or not. Patients are not just Medicaid cases. They're people."

"Yes, sir," she said, her eyes wide. She left the room quickly, and Bella could overhear her outside talking to someone about a transfer.

"What does all of this mean?" she asked, taking comfort when Edward squeezed her shoulders.

Carlisle continued to flip through the chart. "Bella, we're moving him to the ICU for now to try to stabilize his blood sugars using an insulin drip, so it will go in through an IV. Then tomorrow, we're going to move him to the Children's Hospital in Seattle. I have a good friend who's in charge of the Endocrinology Department there, and he's going to see Matthew."

Bella nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Cullen. And thank you, Edward. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

Carlisle smiled at her just as an orderly came in to move Matt to the Intensive Care Unit. "Just bring Matthew by the house sometime, so my wife can meet the two of you."

She smiled for the first time in what felt like a long time. "It's a deal," she said.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thank you to everyone again for the love and support you've given me for this story! I get warm fuzzies with each alert I receive!**

**Thanks, as always, to my pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen, and to my lovely beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. Check their stories out as they are both fabulous writers!**

**Also, EternallyCullen and I have written a one-shot for the Flowers to Showers Contest. It's anonymous, so I can't tell you which one is ours, but hop over there when you get a chance and vote for your favorite! http:/www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net/u/2743940/showerstoflowers**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Twilight other than some well-worn books and DVDs. That's all. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer, other than Matthew. He is mine.**

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><p>Bella sat beside Matthew's hospital bed in the Intensive Care Unit, looking morosely at the IV lines and tubes that were connected to him. He also had patches on his small chest to monitor his heart rate. She knew it was all necessary, but it physically hurt her to see her precious son in such a condition.<p>

_Was this something I caused? Could I have prevented this?_

Matthew was unconscious again, so she knew his sugar was still too high. She prayed that his new treatment plan would work for him.

They had been in the ICU for several hours, and the nurses there had followed Dr. Cullen's orders without issue. Matt was now on an insulin drip, along with some IV fluids to keep him hydrated. His sugar was coming down, but not as quickly as it needed to.

Bella's head was laying on the bed, with Matt's hand resting in hers. She stroked it gently, but was surprised when she felt two large hands on her shoulders, beginning to knead the knots in her muscles. She turned her head, to see Edward standing behind her.

"Hey," she said quietly. "I thought you went home."

He continued gently massaging her shoulders. "No, I didn't want to leave you here alone. Does your father know you'rehere?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he's going to come by when he gets off duty. He offered to come before, but I told him to wait. There wasn't any sense in him missing work, and the same goes for you. You must have something better to do – homework, studying..."

"Bella, I'm not leaving you here to deal with this alone. You're a wreck, and you don't need to be by yourself."

She sighed. "All right. I don't have the energy to fight with you."

"Good, because I'm not going anywhere."

She smiled up at him wearily. "Thank you."

"So, how's he doing?" He nodded at Matthew.

Bella swiped at her eyes again; they were starting to swell and felt tender. "A bit better. His sugar was down to three hundred a bit ago. Why isn't it coming down faster, Edward?"

Edward pulled the other chair up to the bed and looked at the sickly child in the bed. "I'm not sure, but I'm sure it has something to do with his pancreas or his liver. Dad ordered a full lab workup, so we'll be able to see if his white count is up. If he has some type of infection, that will keep a diabetic's blood sugar up. Have they given you an actual diagnosis?"

She laughed. "Yeah. High blood sugar. Imagine that. Edward, what if he doesn't have an infection?" she asked, desperation clouding her voice.

"We'll find out for sure tomorrow. They'll transport him to Seattle, and we'll see the specialist then. Dad is supposed to call him when we get there and let him know that Matt's arrived."

Bella felt the tears trickling out of her eyes again. "I-I don't know how to thank you. I'm sorry I was so difficult at the beginning. If you hadn't done what you did earlier with his joke of a doctor, they'd be sending Matt home in the morning, and there's no telling what would have ended up happening. I-I can never repay you for your help."

Edward was stunned. He knew that her son's condition was leaving her more vulnerable, but he could tell that she meant her apology. He stared a few moments, allowing himself to drown in her deep, brown eyes. "It's all right, Bella."

She shook her head. "No, it's not. I was horrible to you, and you've done so much for us."

"Then I accept your apology. And now I see why you needed better healthcare for Matt." Edward was now able to understand the concept of his assignment; he had just been too self-centered before to be able to see it.

Matt shifted on the bed, and Bella jumped up. "Matt? Can you hear me?"

"Mom?" he asked, his throat raspy. "What happened?"

Bella laughed tearfully in relief. He was finally making some sense. He had mentioned several things about flying bunny rabbits in his room, and she knew that his sugar was so high that he was having hallucinations. "Baby, your sugar got really high at school, and you're in the hospital. How do you feel?"

He sighed. "Not so good." He looked around and spotted Edward. "Edward," he greeted weakly.

"Hey, buddy. I'm glad to see you're awake. You gave your mom and me quite a scare." Edward hadn't realized how worried he had been until Matt had actually opened his eyes. He had never had to worry about anyone except for himself – other than his family, who were all healthy – so he had not been able to grasp the extent of the love and devotion that Bella felt for her son.

"Sorry," he whispered.

Bella sat on the side of the bed and held his hand. "It's all right; you did the right thing by going to the nurse. Oh, I'm so glad you're better," she said, her voice breaking.

Edward was feeling a bit choked up, as well, and cleared his throat. "I'm going to go get the nurse and let her know he's awake."

Bella nodded in acquiescence. "Thank you."

He was back shortly with Matthew's nurse, Mary. She busied herself around Matt's bed, checking his IV solution and the insulin drip. "Well, little man," she said. "Let's check your sugar."

She pulled out the glucometer and stuck his finger with the lancet. Bella watched as a drop of blood appeared on his finger and was whisked away by the strip in the glucometer. Before she'd had Matt, the smell of blood would make her faint. She had even passed out one day in Biology when they had done blood typing.

But after having to stick Matt's fingers four times a day for the last four years, she had gotten over her aversion to blood. She hadn't really had a choice.

"Great, Matt. It's down to one eighty two. According to Dr. Cullen's orders, we can stop the drip for now. We don't want his sugar to get too low." Mary gathered her equipment up, along with the glucometer, and headed for the nurses' station. She was back quickly to turn the insulin drip off.

"Do you know of plans to have him transferred to Seattle?" Bella asked, her brown eyes wide with concern.

Mary nodded. "Yes, they're going to transport him by ambulance at eight in the morning. You'll be able to meet him there."

Bella breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed Edward's hand reflexively. "Oh, thank you. Thank God," she murmured. "Will I be able to ride with him?" she asked. She was afraid her old truck wouldn't make it to Seattle.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Swan, but that's not allowed."

"Oh," Bella said, her face falling. _I'll check with Dad. I don't know if he could drive the cruiser to Seattle or not…_

"You can ride with me, Bella," Edward offered.

"I don't want to put you out, Edward," she said, her eyes downcast.

He shook his head and squeezed her hand to get her attention. The electrical current was back, buzzing up her arm. The sensation reminded her of when she would hold her tongue to a battery when she was a child.

"It's not a problem, Bella. On the days that I go to school, I can just drop you off at the hospital."

"Edward, that's too much trouble for you. And you don't have class for a couple of days, do you?"

He shook his head. "Bella, I'm going to be at the hospital, and so is Dad. We want to meet with Dr. Taplin, so we can all learn about this and help figure out the best possible course."

Bella was stunned. Edward was going to be at the hospital with Matt? _What does that mean? Nothing. It means nothing, Bella. It's just so he'll have the information from Seattle to include in his paper. _"I would appreciate that."

He shrugged. "Not a problem."

"Have you studied a lot on diabetes at school?"

Edward shook his head. "No, we haven't really gotten to that section yet."

She attempted to lift the corners of her mouth into a smile. "Then this should be a good learning experience for you." She turned back to the bed. Matt had dozed off, but this time, he was just asleep, and not unconscious due to his sugar.

Edward stared intensely into her chocolate brown eyes, his own emerald green eyes searching for something.

"What?" she finally asked. He was making her self-conscious.

"I'm not in this for a learning experience, Bella."

She stared back into his eyes, drowning in them. "Yes, you are. This is part of your assignment, right?"

He sighed. "You're no longer just an assignment to me."

She laughed lightly. "I'm a pain in your ass, is what I am," she said, looking down at the floor. "You're in college! You should be having the time of your life, partying every weekend… You don't need to be hanging out with me and my son in the hospital."

Edward placed a finger under her chin and tipped her face up so he could look into her eyes. "Bella, stop that. Why do you always think that no one could be interested in you? You're a bright, beautiful, and caring woman."

_He called me beautiful? Is he crazy? _"You're just saying that to be nice, Edward. It's all right. I've accepted it."

"Tell me why," he demanded.

She sighed. "Because there's only a few people that give a shit about me: Matt, my dad, my mom, and Angela and Jake. That's it."

"You deserve happiness just as much as everyone else does."

She shook her head. "I've learned to live with it, so it'll have to do."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Bella," he whispered, stroking his fingers down her cheek.

"Please, don't go there, Edward."

"Why not?"

She sighed again and sat heavily on the hard couch in the room. "Because it would never work out. We're too different, and I don't think I can handle that kind of pain again."

He pressed his lips together. "Now you're the one who's stereotyping. Look, I know the first time we met, I came across as too cocky and arrogant. But I hope you've seen the real me over the last month. And we're not that different."

She turned her head to stare at him in disbelief. "And just what do we have in common?"

He gave her his famous lopsided smile. "We both enjoy the same music, we both enjoy reading, we both enjoy being with each other, and we both care about Matt, just to name a few."

"I'm not good enough for you," she whispered so softly, he had to strain to hear her.

Before Edward could reply to that sentence that had shattered his heart into a thousand pieces, Bella's father, Charlie, walked in.

"Bells," he greeted, hugging her awkwardly. "How Matt doing?"

She took a shuddering breath. "He's better. His sugar was down enough earlier that they were able to stop the insulin drip. He also woke up and was coherent, but he's back asleep now."

Charlie eyed Edward with interest. He introduced himself and shook Edward's hand.

"I'm Edward Cullen. Bella and Matt actually started out as a homework assignment in my Ethics class."

"You're Dr. Cullen's son, right?" Charlie asked.

He nodded. "Yes, sir."

Charlie grunted. "Bells has been telling about some of that. How's that going?" He looked between the two of them.

Bella sighed. "All right, I guess. I hope it is. But things here aren't so good."

"I'm going to go to the cafeteria, Bella, so you and your father can visit. Can I bring you back anything?"

She smiled at him lightly. "Yeah, just some black coffee would be great."

He nodded and left the room.

Charlie turned to his daughter. "So, what's going on with you two?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing, Dad. As I said, I'm just his homework assignment, and that's all."

Charlie looked at her with disbelief in his eyes. "Yeah, right. I saw the way you two looked at each other."

"Dad, stop. I don't need or want a man in my life. Once was enough for me." She sighed. She hated thinking of the past and how stupid she had been – not that she regretted Matt, though.

He chuckled. "You mark my words; something with that boy will happen."

Bella swallowed and went back to sit on Matt's bed. It made her a bit uneasy, because that was exactly what she was afraid of.

xXx

Bella stared at the greenery flashing by the windows as Edward hurried toward Seattle so they could meet Matt at the Children's Hospital. She had her knees pulled up to her chest and her head resting on the window.

"You okay?" Edward asked quietly, while soft strands of Mozart drifted through the speakers.

She sighed. "I don't know. I'm just tired… of everything. What if they find something really, really wrong? I'm so scared."

He reached over and laid a hand lightly on her leg. He waited a few moments with bated breath to see if she'd ask him to move it or remove it herself. She did neither. "I know, Bella. But remember, even if they find something, it's better to find it now, rather than later, when it may not be treatable."

"I know. It's just so scary. He's just a little boy, and he can't be just a little boy because of this horrible disease."

He nodded silently.

She decided to change the subject. "So... What field do you want to practice in?"

He smiled, his eyes looking at something far away. "I've always figured I'd be a surgeon, like my dad. He used to tell us stories about how he saved someone's life, and we could all see how happy it made him. And I always wanted to be just like him."

"You'd make a great surgeon," she said numbly, but her mind was with her son. _Is__ Matt okay? What's going on in that ambulance? Is he scared to be in there without me?_

_Don't worry about it, Bella. They're gonna take good care of them._

_I'm just scared._

_He'll be fine._

She sighed again, but didn't speak. She couldn't keep arguing with herself. She was so tired, both physically an emotionally. She was also overwhelmed at how kind Dr. Cullen had been to her. He was taking a day off to meet them in Seattle to speak to this doctor. All for Matt.

You couldn't ask for anything more, and she was not used to being treated this way. She was typically treated like the dirt on the bottom of people's shoes. But Dr. Cullen had treated her and Matt… like they mattered to him. As if he actually cared.

She sighed once more.

"Penny for your thoughts," Edward said.

"I was just thinking about how nice your dad was to us. We've never been treated like that before. Mostly, we've always been pushed to the side because Matt has Medicaid, which always made me feel horrible. But he didn't do that. And for him to meet us in Seattle… I'll never be able to thank you all enough."

He smiled. "I know one way you can thank me, if you're determined to."

"What?"

"Go out to dinner with me again."

"We already did that to get to know each other," she reminded him.

He nodded. "Yeah, but this time, my intension are clear. Go out with me, Bella? Please?"


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has been leaving me reviews and/or putting me on alert. The response has been overwhelming, and I wish that I could respond to each of you, but I figure you'd prefer for me to write the next chapter! To answer a question that has been quite common, yes, many people with Medicaid are treated how Bella and Matt have been treated. I work in the healthcare field, and have witnessed this first hand. I think it's a horrible thing, as patients, to me, are people, not just what their insurance is. But it does happen. I'm also humbled by the reviews who tell me that they have dealt with the same situation that Bella and Matt find themselves in, whether it's fighting diabetes or dealing with the Medicaid system. This is a very real situation, and I hope that I am able to draw some attention to both. I send all of you cyber hugs of support! I know it's not easy.**

**The other question is about Bella's attitude toward handouts. Bella is a very proud person who never saw herself in this type of situation, and just as it's hard for her to show her emotions, it's also difficult to accept help. Many people in these types of situations find it difficult to accept that they are not able to provide for themselves and their children. I was a young mother, and I can relate to this Bella. It's more of an embarrassment issue than pride. She's coming around though!**

**Now, as always, I cannot thank my wonderful pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen, and my fantastic beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar, for all of their help. This story wouldn't be what it is without their help.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters (even though I would love to have my own Edward!), I just own Matthew. **

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><p>He nodded. "Yeah, but this time, my intensions are clear. Go out with me, Bella? Please?"<p>

She didn't know what to say. If she was honest with herself, deep down, she knew she wanted to. But life had taught her to be realistic and practical. And she had Matt to think about. Matt was already getting too attached to Edward, and she was fearful of the hurt he would suffer when things didn't work out. _Am I willing to put him through that for just a bit of fun?_

_It's not about __me; it's__ about Matt._

_But who says you don't deserve to have a bit of something for yourself?_

_I do! He's been through enough in his short life. I don't think I can put him through that._

_But Edward's different than James._

_But he's still a man. And you know your luck with men._

_Yeah, I'm zero for one. But what if this is "the one?"_

_What if he's not? Be practical, Bella!_

The hospital rising up in front of her pulled her from her thoughts.

Edward pulled into the parking lot of Seattle Children Hospital, and Bella practically flung herself from the Volvo before he had put it in park.

"We're here," she stated obviously. "Where do we go to find Matt?"

Edward smiled to himself as he turned the engine off. He got out at a much safer speed and turned to her in the parking lot, setting the alarm on the car. "You're changing the subject."

She looked up into his bright, green eyes, and she almost faltered. _Practical, practical, practical. _"Okay. Now, where do we go?" she asked, trying to seem as if she'd agreed just so he would help her.

_You are such a liar! You know you agreed because you wanted to!_

He grinned at her. "Thank you."

She was heading across the parking lot. "For what?"

He caught up with her easily. "For agreeing to go out with me."

_Why is he thanking me? I'm the one that should be grateful for everything he's done… _"Yeah," she said distractedly. "Where do we go?" she asked exasperatedly. Her nerves had handled almost everything they could.

He reached down and linked his fingers with her, causing that pleasurable tingling to go up her arm again.

"Do you feel that?" she blurted out, suddenly embarrassed. Her lack of sleep was starting to get to her.

He squeezed her fingers, leading her toward the entrance. "Yeah. Weird, huh?" he asked, but did not let go of her hand.

"Yeah," she replied, looking up at his face, but he continued to look straight ahead.

She found herself admiring his profile, with the strong jaw and straight nose. She knew that others found him very handsome, and when she admitted it to herself, she found him breathtakingly beautiful. It was almost painful to look at him, at times.

They walked through the sliding doors, and Edward walked confidently up to the receptionist. "Hello. We're here for Matthew Swan. He was transferred by ambulance from Forks Community Hospital."

She tapped some keys. "He's been admitted to room 4518. Just take those elevators to the fourth floor, and make a right. He'll be in that unit."

"Thank you," Edward said smoothly, leading Bella toward the elevators.

She was silent on the ride up.

"I'm sorry; did I overstep my bounds?" he asked her, worried that his tendency to take control over a situation had isolated her once again.

She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. "N-no. Thank you."

"You're about to drop. Bella, when was the last time you slept?"

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. "Um… I-I guess the other night, before the school sent him to the hospital."

Edward looked at her worriedly. "Bella, that was over forty-eight hours ago. You need to sleep."

She shook her head. "N-no. I'm fine. I have to make sure Matt's okay." She swallowed the lump in her throat. She _was_ dead on her feet, but she could not rest until she laid eyes on her son and verified to herself that he was all right.

He led her to the right when they arrived at the fourth floor and through the double doors of the Endocrinology unit. He walked straight up to the nurses' station and quickly got the attention of the unit clerk.

"How may I help you?" she asked breathlessly.

"We're here for Matthew Swan. He was just transferred from Forks Community Hospital."

"Are you his parents?"

He nodded to Bella. "Yes, she's his mother."

She smiled at Bella. "He's in room 4518; it's just around that corner. The nurse is in with him now."

Bella attempted to return her smile. "Thank you."

Edward pulled her around the corner, easily finding the room. He entered the door, and they both spotted Matthew on the bed, the nurse adjusting the IV fluids hanging from the hook.

"Mom! Edward!" he greeted.

Bella let go of Edward's hand and rushed over to the bed, hugging him gently. "Hey, munchkin. How are you feeling?"

"Better," he replied, his brown eyes unusually bright. He already looked worlds better – to her, at least.

"Hi, you must be his mom," the nurse said, smiling at her. "I'm Erica, and I'll be taking care of him tonight."

"Does Dr. Taplin know he's arrived?" Edward asked.

She nodded. "Yes, I just paged him. He's called a couple of times already to see if he had arrived," she said. "You're a VIP," she told Matt with a smile.

"What's that?" Matt asked.

She grinned at him again and collected her paperwork. "It means you're a very important patient."

Bella swiped at her eyes again. They were very swollen and tender at that point. "Thank you," she whispered.

Erica nodded at her. "There are washcloths in the bathroom. A cold one might make your eyes feel better," she said helpfully, before walking out of the room.

Bella looked at Edward, confused. She'd never been treated so well at a hospital.

Suddenly, her cell phone rang, making her jump. "Hello?"

"Bells, what's going on?" Charlie asked on the other end.

"Hey, Dad. We just got to the hospital in Seattle."

"How's everything going?"

She swallowed. "Good. They've been really nice here. And the doctor should be here pretty soon."

"Well, Jake's been calling, asking about you."

She smiled slightly. "I'll call him."

"'Kay. Just call me if you need anything. I'll be up there as soon as I get off work."

"Dad, no. Don't make that long drive tonight. Really, we're fine."

"Bells—"

"No, Dad. Go home, and put your feet up. We'll be fine."

"That boy's with you, isn't he?" he asked astutely.

"Um, yeah."

He chuckled. "Okay. I know when I'm not needed around. But call me when you find something out."

"I will. And I'll call Jake."

"All right. Bye, Bells. Tell Matt I said hello… and that I love him. And you," he said awkwardly.

She could almost see Charlie fidgeting in his chair. "Sure thing, and love you, too, Dad." She quickly disconnected the call before they got too mushy.

"Edward!" a male voice said from the doorway. "It's so good to see you again. How's med school treating you?"

Edward smiled and shook the man's hand. "Good. It's good to see you, too. Dr. Taplin, this is Bella Swan, and this"—he gestured to the bed—"is Matthew."

Dr. Taplin reached out and shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Swan. And Matt! How's it going, buddy?" He sat on the side of the bed.

"Okay," he replied.

Dr. Taplin flipped through the chart. "Well, from what I can find from his records that the hospital sent over, he has had a lot of trouble controlling his sugars."

Bella nodded. "Yes. We count carbs, and he eats no sugar, but it still fluctuates so much. It's all over the place."

"Well, let's see what we can do about that," he said with a smile. "We're going to do a lot of tests and some labs to see what we can do. How much insulin is he on?"

Bella recounted his medication regimen, including his sliding scale.

He smiled at her. "I can see you've been dealing with this for a while. But apparently, that's not working, so let's do some changing around with his insulin and see what we get, shall we?"

She sank down onto the other side of the bed, relief making her legs weak. "T-thank you. So much."

"We're going to do everything we can to take care of Matt, Ms. Swan. Try not to worry. And if you have any questions, please, don't hesitate to ask."

She nodded, scrubbing at her eyes again. That cold washcloth was sounding pretty good right now.

xXx

Bella settled down into the chair in Matt's room, trying to get comfortable. The lights had been dimmed, and Edward had left a few minutes ago to stay at Rosalie's apartment with Emmett, as only one adult was allowed to stay overnight. Before she let sleep overtake her, however, she called Jake's number to fill him in.

"Bells? That you?" he asked, obviously seeing her name on the caller ID.

"Yeah, hey, Jake."

He sighed in relief. "What's going on? Charlie just said that you had to take Matt to Seattle to the hospital. I've been worried sick."

She yawned widely. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"'S okay. How's Matt?"

"He's doing better. His blood sugars have been staying around one fifty, so they're so much better than they were. This new doctor is really nice, too. We both really like him."

Jake hesitated. "You need me to come down and stay with you?" he offered.

Bella sighed. She appreciated Jake's offer, but he had more than once made his feelings for her known, and so she had not been as forthcoming with her affection. She knew that Leah Clearwater had a thing for him, and she had been trying to steer him in that direction. "No, I'm fine. How are things with Leah?" she prompted.

"Bells, you don't need to be there alone."

_I'm not… _"Really, Jake. That's a long drive, and they'll probably let us go home in a few days. There's no point. So, have you seen Leah?"

She heard him sigh on the other end of the line. "Bella…"

"Jake, seriously. You know she likes you."

He laughed sharply. "Are you giving me relationship advice?"

"Oh, shut up."

"I'd rather be there with you, Bells," he said softly.

She was going to have to break the news to him; between Jake and Mike, she should be a pro at turning men down. She still was unsure why she was gaining their attention in the first place. "Jake, look, you know I love you; you're my best friend. But that's all we'll ever be – friends."

He sighed. "Bella, you need someone to help you – to take care of you. And Matt needs a father. You know I'd be there to do it all."

Bella's inner bitch came out; she was too tired to reign her in. She could take care of herself, by hell. "Jake, I don't need you to take care of me; I'm not a child."

"Shit, Bells. You know what I meant."

"Look, I haven't slept for two days. We'll talk about this later; I just wanted you to know we're doing fine. Edward's here, and he's helping us out."

Suddenly, she realized her slip.

"Who's Edward?" he asked suspiciously.

She sighed. She really was sleepy; Matthew was sleeping soundly in the bed. "He's a medical student who's been helping me get Matt into a specialist." It wasn't necessarily a lie.

"Oh. Well, call me if you need anything," he said, his voice dull.

She nodded. "Yeah, I will. Thanks, Jake."

She hung up the phone and finally rested her head on the pull out chair. The room was dark and quiet, with the exception of the IV machine quietly whirring and Matt's steady breathing. She was so drowsy, yet sleep did not seem to come easily. She could not get Jake's conversation out of her mind.

She had known Jake since she had been a child and had spent part of her summers in Forks. When she had begun to fill out in her early teenage years, she had known that Jake wanted more, but she had always seen him as a brother – and nothing more. However, she had often wondered how her life would have turned out differently if she had decided to date Jacob. She knew that she would never have dated James, and therefore, would not have Matthew in her life.

Her life was hard, there was no way around that. But she could not imagine her universe without Matt in it. She remembered back to when she had discovered she was pregnant – and the fear she had felt. But at the time, she had never imagined that James would run out on her. She had instead held to a fantasy future where they would be married and happy.

That had taught her not to dream, and that dreams never came true.

He had immediately abandoned her. She hadn't heard from him since, but she had always secretly wished that he had at least wanted to be part of his son's life. She wondered where he was and what he was currently doing.

She then found her mind wandering to Edward Cullen. He was interested in her as more than a school assignment, that was now obvious. Angela had been right. But was she willing to take a chance with this medical student? He already held some sort of power over her that scared her – and thrilled her at the same time. She had never felt this way before, even when she had been dating James.

James had shown an interest in her, and she had latched onto that with her entire being. She later realized that he had only been excited about getting her in the sack for his own pleasure. He had never been truly attracted to her.

But Edward acted as if he were completely enthralled by her. He wanted to spend time with her. At first, it had been under the guise of their project, but then he had asked her out – alone. And now, he had done it again, by being as open and honest as he could be.

As her eyes slid closed and she finally drifted into a restless sleep, her last thought was if Edward Cullen would truly fit in her life. And if he would stay.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I've been out of town on a business trip, but now am back home and ready to write! Thank you so much to all of you who have left me a review or alert. They brighten my day each time one pops up.**

**Thanks to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and to my beta, Jenny Cullen, for all of their help, guidance, and just being there to chat! **

**Also, the ficwife, EternallyCullen, and I have entered another anonymous contest – Trying for a Baby! Hop over and read the stories that are posted, and vote for your favorite! http:/www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net/u/2067697 **

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><p>Dr. Taplin walked into the room the next morning, a smile on his face. "Good morning, all."<p>

Bella sat up, wiping at her eyes. She had not managed much sleep, but enough to fuel her for the day. "Morning," she replied, looking over at Matt. He was just waking up, as well.

The doctor flipped through the chart, reciting Matt's blood sugars since he'd been at Children's Hospital. "Well, he hasn't been over one eighty since we changed his insulin regimen. Let's change it a bit more today and see how he does. Plus, we're going to do some testing today to see what we can find that might be causing him to be so brittle."

"Will it hurt?" Matt asked, his sleepy eyes wide.

Dr. Taplin patted him on the arm. "Some might cause a slight pinch, but as tough as you are with all of the sticks and shots you've been through, you'll do fine. The nurses bragged on you and how you don't even flinch when they give you a shot." He smiled at Matt.

Matthew grinned back. "It didn't hurt too bad, but my mom still gives the best shots. I don't feel them at all."

Bella couldn't help but smile. It had been difficult for her to give the control over to the medical staff, as the ones she had dealt with thus far had been a joke, but the staff at Children's had been wonderful to both of them.

"Dr. Taplin," she started, "I really do appreciate you taking Matt's case on, but I don't know what Dr. Cullen told you. I-I don't have the money to pay you, and I don't know if his Medicaid card will cover it."

He shook his head. "Ms. Swan, I'm not worried about getting paid for this. I'm just glad I can help. That's why I got into medicine – to help children. I believe in paying it forward, so if you get to a place where you can spare a bit, a donation to the hospital would suit me just fine. And if you can't, that's fine with me, too. Carlisle is a very dear friend of mine, and I can see how close you are to Edward. If it hadn't been for Carlisle, I wouldn't have made it through medical school, so I'm glad to be able to return a favor to him, finally."

She felt her eyes well up again. What was it with the waterworks? "T-thank you."

"And don't worry about the hospital bill. It's already been taken care of."

Bella shook her head. "How is that possible?"

He just smiled at her. "My sources must remain confidential," he said with a wink.

_Edward… what had he done now?_ she wondered, but found she was so grateful, she didn't care. When her son's health was at stake, she'd take whatever she could. She knew she had been an ungrateful bitch to him in the beginning, and she felt very contrite about that, but she had let her emotions rule. Thank goodness he had been persistent.

"I-I don't know what to say," she whispered.

Dr. Taplin just shook his head, scribbling in the chart. "You don't have to say anything. We're all glad to do it to help you and Matthew."

He gave them one more quick smile, and then was out of the door.

"Mom?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I like him," he said softly.

She smiled at him, feeling the urge to fix herself up a bit in the bathroom. A toothbrush sounded heavenly. "Me, too."

Before she could move, however, Edward came sauntering into the room. "Hey, Matt! Bella. How are things going this morning?" He set a bag down on the table.

"Um, good," she replied, her hand over her mouth to hide her morning breath. "The doctor just left."

"Yeah, I ran into him. Bella, what are you doing?" he asked as she continued to hold her hand over her mouth.

She bit her lip. "I forgot my toothbrush at home. Actually, don't come too close, because I'm sure I stink. I've been in these same clothes for three days now."

He grinned at her. "Then I think you'll enjoy what I have in this bag."

Bella raised her eyebrows in question, and he handed her the bag. Inside, she found a full set of clothes, along with a toothbrush and toothpaste. "Oh, Edward! Where – how did you know?"

"Well, I knew you didn't bring anything from home, so Emmett's girlfriend, Rosalie, put this together. The sweats might be a bit too long for you, but we figured you could roll them up. She also went to Target and got you a new package of under things and a new toothbrush." He blushed slightly.

Bella was too ecstatic to be embarrassed that he had brought her underwear. "Oh, thank you, Edward. Can you sit here with Matt while I shower?"

His face bloomed scarlet, but he agreed. Bella skipped into the adjoining bath and quickly pulled her hair out of the sloppy ponytail she had slept in. She heated the water to hot and relaxed under the massaging spray.

She really did owe Edward for this.

She soaped her hair with the shampoo Rosalie had tossed into the bag, luxuriating in the feel of washing the grit and grime away from the last few days. When she finished in the shower, she dug the new toothbrush out and scrubbed her teeth and gums. Finally finished, she felt like a new person.

She stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in Rosalie's clothing. The pants were way too long, but she didn't care. They were clean.

"You look like you feel better," Edward remarked with a smile.

She sighed happily. "Oh, yes. Thank you, Edward, for thinking of this. I-I really appreciate it. You don't know how much."

Edward was shocked. He was not used to her reacting so positively whenever he tried to do something for her. Obviously, her son's problems were weighing on her, if she was too tired to fight with him.

"You're welcome. Matt, I brought you some stuff, too. Check that bag for a game and some coloring books. I thought it would help pass the time," he explained to Bella.

Bella sighed. He was just too good to be true. "Thank you, Edward. Matt, what do you say?"

"Thanks, Edward," he replied, digging through the bag of goodies that Edward had brought him. "Will you play Go Fish with me?" he asked, pulling out a deck of Go Fish cards.

"You bet, buddy," he replied. "I thought you'd never ask."

A woman from the lab walked in just then. "Hello. I'm here to get some blood."

"Mom?" Matt asked worriedly. In all of the years he'd been to the emergency room, he hated the blood work the worst.

Bella physically hurt for him; it was painful to see her son in that bed, knowing what his own body was doing to him. She knew she would have taken it all upon herself if she could have. "It'll be all right," she said, holding his hand.

"Matt, the trick is to not think of it. Come on, I'll deal, and we'll play while she gets a bit of blood," Edward interjected.

"Okay," Matt said dubiously, obviously not believing it would work.

While the phlebotomist prepared his arm, he held his cards in the other. Edward had already started the game. He timed it perfectly so that when the needle pierced his skin, he asked Matt if he had any fours.

"Go fish," he cried happily.

By the time it was his turn, the blood draw was done, and she was taping a band-aid onto his skin. "All done."

He looked at her, surprised. "That's it?"

She smiled at him. "That's it."

Matt looked over at Edward and grinned. "It worked!"

Edward ruffled his hair. "I told you it would."

Bella sat back in the reclining chair and watched the game in progress. As she watched Matt and Edward battle back and forth, each winning a game, she felt her eyes get heavy. Before she knew it, she was sound asleep.

Edward looked over, and then back to Matt. "Looks like your mom's out again," he said quietly.

Matt nodded. "Yeah, she's had it rough since I've been in the hospital."

Edward felt a pain in his chest as he looked between mother and son. They both understood each other so well; their bond stretched further than just parent and child. They had been through so much together, they were just in sync.

He stood up and quietly covered Bella with a blanket. "We'll play for a while and let your mom sleep. How's that sound?"

Matt nodded. "Good to me," he whispered.

Bella stretched, waking up from her nap. She had slept amazingly well, considering the current surroundings. The hot shower had done wonders for her spirits. She looked over to the bed, only to find it empty.

_Where the hell is Matt? _she thought, scared. Surely they didn't take him somewhere without her. She wandered out to the nurses' station and asked where her son was.

"Oh, Radiology came to get him for an ultrasound on his liver and pancreas."

She gaped at them. "He went alone?"

The clerk shook her head. "Oh, no. Your friend, Mr. Cullen, accompanied him. They didn't want to wake you. But they should be arriving back at any time."

She walked back to the room and flipped on the television. Within fifteen minutes, Matt came wheeling back into the room, Edward following behind him. The radiology tech helped him get settled into the bed with the tubes and wires, and then left the room after giving Matt a high five.

"Oh, I was worried to death," she said with a sigh.

"I didn't wanna wake you up, Mom," Matt said. "You were sleeping so good that me and Edward decided to let you sleep. He went with me."

Bella was choked up. She had never dreamed that in such a short time, she would come to depend on Edward so much. "Thanks," she whispered to Edward.

He grinned at her. "It was my pleasure. He's a special little guy."

"Yeah, he is," she agreed, drowning once again in his emerald eyes.

"Bella," he breathed, cupping her face in his hand.

She was speechless, and her breath was coming in short bursts. "Edward…" she sighed.

"Edward!" Matt called. "You promised you'd play checkers with me when we got back."

The spell broke between the two of them. "O-okay, buddy. I'm coming," he responded, looking longingly into her eyes. "We'll finish this," he whispered in her ear, before going over to the hospital bed and claiming the black checkers as his.

Bella sank down onto the chair, her knees weak. She shivered at the idea of finishing what they had started.

xXx

Bella and Matt remained at Seattle Children Hospital over the next two days. Finally, once his blood sugars had stabilized, Dr. Taplin came to discharge him.

"Well, it looks like we have the sugar under control for now. It's been running between seventy and one twenty, so I think we'll be safe to send him home, but I'm changing his entire insulin regime. Ms. Swan, are you comfortable with that?"

She nodded. "Yes. Anything to keep him from spiking, and then crashing."

He wrote out several prescriptions and handed them to her. "This is for his new insulin, and I've written out the sliding scale he needs to follow. His ultrasounds of the liver and pancreas were normal – so no organ damage – so I think it's just the absence of insulin in his body that is causing the problems. Hopefully, we'll be able to control them by changing his insulin.

"One other thing I'd like for you all to think about is an insulin pump. This would keep him from having to be stuck four times a day, and the pumps now are able to read sugar levels and administer the proper amount of insulin."

Bella nodded. She had tried to ask Dr. Ferguson about an insulin pump, but true to form, she had been brushed off. "We'll certainly consider it. Anything to make this easier on him."

He scribbled some notes in the chart and flipped it closed. "I'd like for you to bring him back to see me in the office in two weeks. Will that be a problem?"

She wondered briefly about her job and if it would be a problem for her to take a day off so soon. She'd already been off close to a week, what with Matt in the hospital. "No, I think that would be fine. I'll make it work." _Even if it means losing this job. Matt comes first._

He smiled at Matt. "Good job, buddy. You sure have been a good patient. I'll see you in a couple of weeks, okay?"

"Sure," Matt agreed.

"I do want you to keep a log of his blood sugars and how much insulin you're giving him. You've done this long enough that if he has trouble with the dosage, you can adjust it slightly. If you have a lot of problems once you get home, don't hesitate to call me."

Bella nodded, still in shock at the instructions she was getting. Typically, they shoved Matt out as quickly as possible, but at Children's, she had seen the doctor daily, the nurses checked on him frequently, blood work had been done, and they had even sent a dietician up to discuss meal preparation with her.

She did not need any help with the diet portion, as she had been doing it for so long, but it was still nice to review; she was simply grateful that Dr. Taplin had thought of it.

"All right. We'll see you in a couple of weeks, then. I-I can't thank you enough. I can tell just by looking at him that he's so much better."

And it was the truth. Matt was still small, but his brown hair now had a shine and bounce to it, and his chocolate eyes held a sparkle that had been missing.

Dr. Taplin agreed. "Yes, I can tell a difference just from when he came in. I think we're on the right track."

"So do I."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Thank you everyone for all of your love on this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Thanks, as always, to my lovely pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen, and to y fantabulous beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar.**

* * *

><p>"Well," Edward said as he drove through the Olympic Peninsula back to Forks, "when should I pick you up?"<p>

Bella stared out the windshield at the rain drops splattering on the clear glass. "For what?"

He looked over and smirked at her, hearing her audible gasp. He was actually enjoying the give and take between them, and truth be told, he was quite proud of himself that he could have that type of effect on her. "For our date, Bella."

She swallowed. She turned slowly to look at his profile, the strong jaw and straight nose giving her pause. _Why in the hell does someone like him care so much about going out with someone like me? _"Oh, um… let's see, shall we? I need to make sure Matt does all right once he gets home…"

Edward shook his head, his damp, bronze hair moving along with him. "Bella, don't use Matt for an excuse," he said quietly, looking at the sleeping boy in the back seat through the rearview mirror. "I think we've played enough games with each other."

She arched a brow at him. "Excuse me?"

He laughed lightly. "Games. We've played around the edges enough, and you promised me you'd go out with me."

Bella sighed, and before she could stop her verbal diarrhea, she spoke again. "Why do you care so much about going out with me?" She was instantly mortified to have spoken her private thoughts and concerns out loud.

He glanced at her. "And why are so you so damned determined to stop me?"

She pulled her lower lip in between her teeth. "I asked first."

He nodded. "So you did. All right, I'll tell you."

She waited in the passenger seat with bated breath. "Well?" she finally asked.

Edward blew his breath out hard. "I'm not exactly sure why, if you want me to be fully honest. There's just something there that's pulling me to you, and I can't fight it anymore. I feel drawn to you, and very protective of you and Matt. Honestly… you are the most intriguing and beautiful woman I've ever met."

She gawped at him. "Wh-what?"

He shrugged. "That's the truth. I've never met anyone like you before, and the idea of not having you in my life is just… painful… to think about." He had never been as open and honest with anyone in his life – especially when that someone had the power to crush his heart in an instant. _My, how the tables have turned…_

She scoffed, her breath shaky. "Oh, come on, Edward. Look at me. I'm not _beautiful,_ and I'm certainly not interesting."

He shook his head. "Now, see, you are completely wrong,"—he held up his hand when she opened her mouth—"as you don't know who I know and how beautiful and interesting they are."

"But I'm just a poor, single mom, who's trying to make ends meet. You've probably never worried about a bill in your life. We're just too different."

"Opposites attract."

"Not that opposite," she said, shaking her head. "You can have any girl you want… You're rich, you're smart, you're gonna be a doctor… I just don't understand. And besides, I'm sure there's some girl just like you that your parents would rather see you with."

Edward smiled at her crookedly. "Nope. You haven't met my mother, Esme, yet, but when you do meet her and hear the story of how she and my dad met, you'll see that they understand. They just want me to be happy. And you make me happy, Bella," he said, turning the full power of his emerald green eyes on her.

"Oh," was her brilliant reply.

"So, when do you want me to pick you up?" he asked again, his face split into a huge smile.

She groaned. "Let me see when I can get a babysitter, and I'll let you know."

"Excellent."

xXx

"So, tell me about this boy you're seeing," Charlie said the moment Bella walked into his house, Matt in tow. His face was a light shade of pink, so Bella knew he was embarrassed. But she also was aware that no conversation could have been worse than the one when she'd had to tell him she was pregnant.

"_Bells, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Charlie asked, distress evident on his face at his teenage daughter's tears._

_She had just known that he would shoot James or her – or both._

_She took a few shuddering breaths and wiped the tears off her __face, as__ more continued to leak from her brown eyes. "I-I need to talk to you," she whispered, wishing James had been there with her. She could have really used his strength and support, but he had told her things would most likely go better if __she broke the__ news to her father alone._

_He sat down heavily in his recliner, his police uniform still on. "Okay," he said softly._

_Bella sniffed again. "Dad… I-I don't know how to tell you this," she said, crying again._

_Charlie was getting worried. Bella had always been down to earth and didn't show emotion – just like him. __So, for her to be so hysterical, he was becoming scared.__"Just tell me, Bells."_

"_I-I'm pregnant," she whispered, curling up into a ball and wrapping her arms around her knees. She had found out a few days prior and had been working up the nerve to tell her father._

_Charlie didn't speak._

_Bella was suddenly worried about __Charlie, as__ his face turned from white to red to purple._

"_Dad?" she whispered timidly._

"_YOU'RE WHAT?" he bellowed, causing her to jump._

_She hunkered down into the sofa even farther. "Pregnant," she said in a small voice._

"_WHO THE HELL IS HE? IT'S THAT __DAMN JAMES__ PUNK, ISN'T IT?"_

_Bella nodded mutely. She could almost see the steam coming from his ears._

_Charlie stood up and began strapping his gun belt on again. "I'm gonna fucking kill him," he growled._

_Bella jumped up and latched onto his arm. "Dad, no! It's not all his fault."_

"_Bella, I'm sure he pressured you into it. I'll have his ass in jail before the night's over!" _

_She begged__ and pleaded, trying to reassure Charlie that James was going to take full responsibility and marry her. They'd get married and have their baby while she finished school. Things would work out fine._

_So, she was in complete shock when __Charlie arrived__ home the following day, informing her that the bastard was gone from Forks – vanished into thin air._

_She cried__ and tried calling his cell phone multiple times. __She even__ jumped in her older model Chevy truck __and drove to__ his apartment, which she found vacated, except for a few pictures of her. _

_Everything else was gone._

_James was gone._

"Bella? You there?" Charlie asked again, pulling her from her reverie.

She nodded, noticing that Matt was already on the couch, ready to watch the Mariners game with his grandfather. "Yeah, sorry. Kind of spaced out there for a moment."

He grunted in reply. "So, like I said, tell me about this wannabe doctor you're seeing."

Bella practically choked. "I'm not seeing him, Dad. He's working on a class assignment that involves Matt, that's all."

"Mmhmm. Well, then, who are you going out with tonight?" he asked shrewdly.

She sighed in defeat. "Edward," she whispered.

"Ah. Well, Bells, he seems like a nice guy."

She nodded. "Yeah, he is."

"So… what can you tell me about him?" Charlie tried again. "He must be pretty special for you to agree to go out with him."

Bella thought again about the past and knew that her father was correct. After she had been abandoned by James, she had not dated anyone. After Matt had been born, she had focused solely on taking care of her son and finishing high school. She had sworn off men – for good.

_No, you haven't. If you have, then why are you going out with Edward Cullen?_

"Well," she started, "he's in medical school and wants to be a surgeon, like his dad. Matt already really likes him. If it hadn't been for him, I don't know what would have happened to Matt this time around."

"Is that why you're going out with him? You feel you owe it to him?" Charlie asked, concern evident in his tone.

"Of course not," she denied quickly. "I-I just… want to," she finished lamely. Shit. She had just disclosed her feelings about Edward to her father.

He grinned at her. "Good. I think he'd be good for you, Bella. Matt's gonna spend the night, and we're going fishing in the morning, so call before you come pick him up tomorrow. That way, you have all night for your date."

She looked at him, mortified. "I'm not gonna take all night!"

Charlie shook his head. "That wasn't what I meant, Bells. I only meant that you didn't need to rush. Just go and enjoy yourself."

Bella nodded and went to hug Matt before she left. She then left Charlie the new insulin and dietary instructions and told him to call if he needed her.

"Just go, Bells," he said, shooing her out of the door. "I want to spend the night with my grandson and the ballgame. Don't worry."

She wasn't worried about leaving Matt in Charlie's care. Next to her, Charlie and Angela knew all they needed to about taking care of Matt. That was why she was comfortable leaving Matt in their care.

"Okay. Bye, Matt! Bye, Dad. Love you," she said quickly, and then dashed through the rain to her truck. Angela was meeting her at her apartment with some clothes for her to try on. She always had bills to pay, and thus, her wardrobe was lacking.

As she drove the familiar streets, she thought about the upcoming evening she was about to spend in the company of Edward Cullen. She shivered at the thought.

She wondered what he had planned for the two of them. Once she began thinking, she realized she had never been on a proper date in her life. What she'd had with James had been different. He would pick her up in his car, and they'd go somewhere and make out, eventually actually having sex a few times until she'd found out she was pregnant. He had always said he didn't have the money to take her out properly, but that once he found a good job, he would.

And she had believed it all – hook, line, and sinker.

She sent up a little prayer that Edward was not playing her. She didn't think she could handle it again.

Bella pulled into the parking lot and saw Angela sitting in her car, waving enthusiastically. Bella groaned and opened the creaking door, slamming it hard and watching as rust particles fluttered to the ground. She was unsure what she would do when her truck finally reached its end.

"Hey, Ang!" she called.

Angela flung herself from the car and wrapped Bella in her embrace. "Oh, I'm so excited for you! A real date with Dr. Edward Cullen," she said, waggling her eyebrows.

"He's not a doctor yet," she mumbled, embarrassed at Angela's enthusiasm.

Angela opened her trunk and pulled out a pile of clothes that were on hangers. "Yet… but he will be," she said.

They chatted on the way up to Bella's apartment about how Angela planned to style her hair, the make-up scheme she had decided on, and ideas of outfits Bella could wear.

Bella's stomach was in knots. "What if I say something stupid?" she blurted out as Angela painted her eyelids with eye shadow.

Angela shook her head, intent on her work. "You won't. And even if you do, he obviously doesn't care. I mean, you threw him out of your apartment at the beginning, and he keeps coming back. I'd say he's definitely smitten."

"Smitten?" Bella asked sarcastically. "Who the hell talks like that anymore?"

"I do, Ms. Grouchy Pants. Where's your sense of romance?"

She scowled. "It's dead."

Angela shook her head, a grin on her face as she traced Bella's eyes with dark eyeliner. "No, it's not, or we wouldn't be here right now. You believe in love; admit it."

"Of course I do. I love Matt and my dad and you and Jake."

"Different love, Bella. This is _romance_ between a man and woman. And it's about time."

Bella sighed. Angela was the eternal romantic. "Well, it may turn out to be a disaster."

Angela sighed. "Bella, it will be if you go into it with that attitude. Like I said, the guy's obviously interested in you. He's hot… is in med school… What more could you want?"

"I don't know. I-I guess I'm just scared of getting hurt again," Bella admitted softly.

Angela wrapped an arm around her friend. "Bella, life is always a chance, but you'll never know if you don't take it."

She nodded silently, allowing Angela to dress her as if she were a life-sized Barbie doll. When she was finished, Bella was dressed in a soft purple, gauzy dress, with a black wrap to go with it. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, falling in soft waves and framing her face that was painted with more make-up than she usually wore.

"Angela, this is too much."

"No, it's not. He'll most likely take you to a classy restaurant, and the lighting will be low. You need the darker make-up to accentuate your features," she said, fluttering her eyes.

"Oh, Lord," Bella said with a sigh. "So, I look all right?"

Angela just grinned at her. "Bella, after tonight, he'll never let you go, for sure."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thanks to my lovely team: my prereader and ficwife, EternallyCullen and my wonderful beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. You are both awesome.**

**And thank you to all of you reading, alerting and reviewing! Each email alert gives me warm fuzzies!**

Bella nervously tapped her foot on the floor, sitting on the edge of a chair so she didn't wrinkle her dress. Angela had left a few minutes prior, and now Bella was alone to await Edward's arrival.

Edward's arrival. The idea sent a shimmer of terror down her spine before she could stop it. A date. She was going on a date. With Edward Cullen. Oh, God.

It wasn't Edward she was so concerned about, if she were brutally honest with herself. She was more worried about herself – and her reaction to Edward. She had kept her walls up around him at first, but he had seen her at her worst and was still relentless. And when she looked deep inside herself, she knew that she was drawn to Edward, as well.

And that thought scared the hell out of her.

She was experiencing emotions and feelings beginning to burn within her that she had thought she had buried long ago.

And that thought scared the shit out of her.

She jumped when she heard the knock on her door. She took a deep, steadying breath and opened the door, to see Edward standing in front of her. He took her breath away in his dark suit and white button down shirt with a dark tie.

She had never seen him dressed up before. "H-Hi," she stammered. She opened the door, silently inviting him inside.

"Hi," he returned with a smile, his green eyes wide. "Bella… you look… You look beautiful." His eyes drifted from her head to her toes and back to her downcast eyes. "Really, you do."

"Thanks," she mumbled, her eyes on Edward's black dress shoes. "You… look nice, too."

He placed a finger under her chin and pulled her face up. "Bella? Are you all right?"

_No… I think I'm gonna hyperventilate. _"Um, yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

He could see the uncertainty swirling in her eyes. "Bella, we don't have to go out, if you really don't want to."

Bella shook her head and finally met his gaze. She knew she was lost in that moment. "No. I-I want to. I've just… never really done this… before."

Edward looked at her confused. "Done what?" What exactly did she think he had in mind for the evening?

She sighed. "Been out on a date. A real date. I'm just a bit nervous."

He smiled at her, but there was no mocking or teasing in his expression. "It's all right, Bella. All it is is time for us to enjoy each other's company. Actually, I'm being quite selfish, as I was hoping we'd spend the night allowing me to get to know you better."

She took a shuddering breath, releasing her nerves. "Okay. Sorry for weirding out on you."

He shook his head. "Think nothing of it. Shall we?" he asked, offering her his arm.

"Yes," she replied, her voice shaking slightly. She took his arm, and they walked out the door. "So, where are we going?"

Edward grinned at her. "It's a surprise."

Bella groaned. "Oh, God," she mumbled, causing him to laugh. "Am I dressed all right?" she asked worriedly.

He looked over at her appreciatively. "Yes. You look lovely."

She felt the blush spread up her neck to color her cheeks. "Thanks," she mumbled again. "So, you're really not going to tell me where we're going?"

Edward shook his head. "Nope. But I don't think you'll be disappointed."

At least, he hoped not. He had picked up a picnic dinner for them from a local café and was taking her to a special place he knew of. He had considered revisiting Bella Italia, but didn't want Bella to think that was his repertoire.

He opened her door for her and shut her safely inside the Volvo; he then trotted around to his side of the car and quickly got in, revving the engine and thrilling at the purr, as he always did.

"So, how's Matt doing?" he asked, wanting to start on neutral territory. He could tell that Bella was feeling skittish, and he wanted to take tonight slowly. He had a gut feeling that if things did not go well this evening, it would be their first – and last – date.

She smiled softly. "He's doing wonderful, Edward! His blood sugars have been stable since we got home, and he's been feeling really well. I really, really can't thank you and your dad enough for all that you did."

Edward shook his head. "Don't thank me, Bella. We were glad to do it; Matt needed help. I just hope that you don't resent me for taking over in the hospital and firing that quack of a doctor."

"Of course not! Edward, you don't know how long I'd wanted to do that, but I didn't have a choice. It was him or nothing."

"You probably could have done better than him anyway," he said with a chuckle.

She laughed along with him. "Probably so; the only problem would be that the pharmacy wouldn't take a prescription written by me."

He laughed along with her, and just smiled at her puzzled expression as he turned off on a small road that was almost hidden by brush.

"Where are we going?" she asked again, knowing it was futile, but clearly confused that he had not continued on toward Port Angles.

"It's a surprise." He continued to take the hairpin turns with ease. "This is a place I like to come to when I need a break."

"Oh," she said, staring out the window at the trees rushing by in the darkening light.

Finally, they reached the top of the summit, which had a small clearing. Looking up at them were the harbor lights of Port Angeles.

Bella opened her door without waiting for Edward. "Oh, wow, Edward. This is beautiful. How did you find it?"

Edward was in the process of removing the special dinner he had ordered, along with a big fluffy blanket that he spread on the ground. "I found it one day when I was out, just driving, trying to clear some stress after a big test I'd taken. I'm thinking a house once stood here, which is why it's clear of trees, but I haven't ever found any trace of one. I've never met anyone else up here, either."

"Be a good place to dump a body," she quipped. "You _are_ planning to take me home, right?"

He laughed. "Of course. Your friend knows you're with me."

She smiled at him before turning back to the view. "You can even see the water from here."

"I know," he said quietly, right behind her. She jumped in surprise when his arms came around her waist. He rested his chin on the top of her head and inhaled her scent, luxuriating in the smell of strawberry, lavender, and freesia.

Bella tentatively placed her arms on top of his and leaned back into his embrace. She wasn't sure what else to do, so she just stood there, allowing his warmth to seep through her dress and relax her taut muscles.

"So," he breathed into her hair. "Are you hungry?"

Nope. Not at all after this. But she knew she couldn't be rude. "Sure."

He reluctantly pulled away from her and led her by the hand to the layers of blanket that would keep the twilight chill from seeping into them. "Voila!" he said, opening the basket to reveal grilled chicken with steamed vegetables, rolls, a bottle of wine with two glasses, and two huge brownies for dessert. "I hope I did okay. My father recommended the wine. He's something of a connoisseur."

"Mmmm," Bella said, inhaling deeply. "It smells wonderful. How did you come up with this idea?" she asked, impressed at his originality. She had just been expecting a regular restaurant.

Edward shrugged. "Well, I had planned on taking you out to eat, but then realized we'd be constantly interrupted by waiters and other people, so I decided to bring you here, where we could actually be alone and get to know each other some."

"I'll admit; I'm impressed. This must go over fabulous," she muttered, continuing to look out at the twinkling lights. Sounds of bells in the harbor faintly reached her ears.

"With whom?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Whomever you bring here." She figured this was something he had done before with another girl – or girls.

Edward shook his head and dug in the basket. "I've never brought anyone here before," he said softly.

She turned around and saw nothing but honesty in his face. "Really? Why not?"

"I guess I've always wanted to keep this one spot to myself. Until I met you."

She felt the blush spread up her neck to her cheeks. "Wow. Th-Thank you, Edward. For sharing this with me."

"It's truly my pleasure. Shall we?" He gestured to the plates he had arranged with the food. "And there's plenty here." He poured them both a glass of wine.

Bella settled herself down on the blanket and picked up her fork, beginning to eat. Her stomach was in knots, but she knew that she needed the food in her stomach with the wine, or she would either royally embarrass herself, or pass out. Neither of those options was very appealing, so she bit into the chicken and groaned. "Oh, my God. This is so good. Where did you get this?"

"From the Corner Café in Forks. They do special orders, along with sandwiches and soups."

She laughed. "I don't believe I've ever been there. Whenever we do go out to eat, it's always with Charlie, and he prefers the grease of the diner than this healthier food."

Edward laughed with her. "So, tell me about your parents. Have you always lived in Forks?"

She began to feel her muscles loosen at the casual banter they had going back and forth. For once, she didn't feel like a project to him and found herself spilling her life's story to him. Until she came to the part of James.

Edward was hanging on her every word as if it were a lifeline. He found himself enthralled with the delicate and beautiful creature sitting across from him. _She only looks delicate. She's actually tougher than you are._ Her voice had him spellbound, and he was laughing along with her as she recounted some of Renee's wildest ideas. He found himself thanking the Lord above that Renee had married Phil, which had brought Bella to Washington. He knew that without that vital piece of the puzzle, he would never have met her. When she cut off about her high school years, he felt as if he'd suddenly stopped short.

"So, then what happened?" he asked.

She sighed. "I met James."

Edward wasn't sure what to say when it didn't appear as if she would continue. "Then what?" he whispered.

Bella wiped under her eyes delicately. "He was a smooth talker. He was already out of high school, and I was so flattered that he was interested in me. Mousy Bella… Bookworm Bella. So, I was willing to do anything for him."

He felt as if his heart was being clenched by an unseen hand; his pain for her was palpable. "How long were you with him?"

She took a shuddering breath. "About six months. My dad didn't like him, which made him more appealing to me. Plus, he was the typical bad boy, and I was just so overwhelmed that someone like him was interested in someone like me."

"Bella, you don't see yourself clearly."

She shrugged. "Well, I'm still torn about what happened. On the one hand, I wish now that I'd never met him; yet, if I hadn't, I wouldn't have Matt, and he's the most wonderful thing in my life. He's what I breathe for."

Edward was silent, attempting to understand that level of love and devotion. He received it from his parents, of course, but had he ever cared for someone that much? He couldn't recall, other than his family, but even then, with them, he could be selfish and petty. He had never seen Bella do anything that would not benefit her son. He was what came first in all of her decisions.

"He's a special little guy."

"Yeah, he is. I just love him so much that sometimes I just ache for him, knowing that I can't take his medical problems away. I can do something about bullies, and homework, and scary movies, but his reality… I can't alter that, and sometimes, I don't think I'll be able to bear it."

Edward sat quietly, enjoying the closeness they were developing.

"But then, he'll do something or say something about his diabetes, or he'll take his shots without flinching, and I find myself in awe of him. How someone that small can have such an understanding… It puts everything right in my world, and we continue to deal with it one day at a time."

"That's amazing, Bella. You know, in my rotations, I've seen grown people act so childish when they'd get their finger stuck or their insulin injections. And then, I run into Matt, who takes it with such maturity. It's amazing."

She nodded. "Yeah, I try to keep his childhood as innocent as possible, but he's had to grow up way too fast, due to this."

"You do a wonderful job with him."

"Better than what you expected at the beginning?" she asked, a slight smile ghosting her lips.

He laughed out loud. "Absolutely. I can't believe I was such an ass."

"You were quite a big one," she said with a grin. "But of course, I didn't help matters."

They both chuckled at the beginnings of their relationship and how they had grated on each other's nerves.

"You know, I'm really glad Dr. Simon gave us that assignment now."

"Why?" Bella asked, confused.

He smiled at her crookedly. "Because if he hadn't, I wouldn't have met you."

"Like that would have been a big loss," she muttered.

He pulled her face around to look at him. "You don't know how big of a loss it would have been. You're an amazing woman, Bella."

She tried to look down, but Edward kept a firm hold of her chin. "Thanks," she muttered.

"So, has James ever tried to contact Matt or you?" he asked carefully.

He had released her, so she shook her head. "No. When I told him I was pregnant, he split. My dad went over to his apartment to find him when I told him, but he found the apartment empty. To this day, I don't know where he is. The child support division can't seem to find him, either."

"It's his loss," he said, sliding his hand up her jaw and tangling in her hair. "He has no idea what he's missing."

Bella's eyes widened as she watched Edward's face come closer to her. He was going to kiss her, she just knew it. What food she had managed to ingest was swirling in her stomach as she was attacked by nerves. _What do I do… what do I do? _she thought frantically, as she watched his mouth come closer to hers.

She didn't want to do anything wrong, so she let her eyes drift shut and patiently waited.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: First of all, I apologize to you all for the epic fail in getting this chapter up and posted. About a month ago, I started a new job which has really knocked me for a loop. Now I know why usually young people start new jobs, LOL! But now that I'm a bit settled in and feeling better, I am back with another piece of Bella, Edward, and Matt's story. I hope you guys enjoy! And remember, reviews are like chocolate to me!**

**Thanks, as always, to my fabulous beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar, for being so patient with my ramblings! You are the best!**

**And I must give cyber hugs to my ficwife, EternallyCullen, whom I have not seen very much of since this new job started. You're never far from my thoughts! If you are looking for some more good reading, check out their profiles!**

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><p>Bella's eyes widened as she watched Edward's face come closer to her. He was going to kiss her, she just knew it. What food she had managed to ingest was swirling in her stomach as she was attacked by nerves. <em>What do I do… what do I do? <em>she thought frantically, as she watched his mouth come closer to hers.

She didn't want to do anything wrong, so she let her eyes drift shut and patiently waited.

Edward stopped millimeters from her lips, his warm breath washing over the delicate skin. "Bella?" he whispered.

She opened her eyes to see his green ones boring into hers. She suddenly forgot how to breathe. "Yes?" she squeaked.

He reached up and brushed a lock of her hair behind her shoulder, allowing his fingers to trail down her bare arms. She shivered at the sensation. "You don't know how much I want to kiss you right now."

Bella sucked in a gasp of air. "Then what's stopping you?" she asked bravely, but the quavering of her voice betrayed her attempted bravado.

He smiled softly at her and stroked her cheek with his fingers. "Bella, you are so beautiful." He scooted a bit closer on the blanket and leaned into the small space so his lips finally connected with hers.

She suddenly felt as if she was touching an electric fence, as bolts of electricity shot through her limbs and settled in her stomach, making her feel as if a hundred butterflies had been set loose inside of her. She sat very still for a few seconds, and then tentatively reached up and ran her hand around to the nape of his neck, shuddering at the silky strands of his hair that she was winding through her fingers.

Edward had her face cradled in his hand, and he continued to apply pressure upon her mouth, thrilling at the tingling sensation that was coursing throughout his body. Bella's lips were warm and so soft pressed up against his. He heard a faint moan in her throat, and that spurred him on further, as he deepened the kiss.

Bella thought she could just kiss Edward Cullen all day long. Her kisses with James had always been rougher and demanding, whereas Edward was being soft and gentle. It was causing delicious sensations to flicker all through her.

Too soon, Edward pulled back, and she opened her eyes, staring back into his green ones. They did not speak for several moments, but just stared at each other, the moonlight throwing their features into shadowed relief and the lights of Port Angeles twinkling down below.

It was almost magical.

Bella didn't know what to say, so she just smiled at him slightly.

"Um… that was… that was nice," he stammered, his breathing slightly accelerated.

"It _was_ nice," she said softly.

He smiled at her, causing her already fluttering stomach to turn flip flops.

"We'll have to do that again sometime," he said lightly, causing her to chuckle.

"Yes, we will."

He grinned at her and tentatively pulled her close to his side. The air was beginning to chill, and he didn't want Bella to get cold. At least, that's what he told himself for justification. It didn't have anything to do with how the moonlight glinted off of her hair or how her smile lit up her entire face. Of course not.

He just didn't want her to be cold.

Yeah, right.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments, before Bella spoke. "I probably should be getting back. It's getting late."

He nodded, yet made no move to stand up. "Yeah, it is."

Bella continued to revel in the warm embrace she was wrapped in. It had been so long since she had been held for comfort. Ever since she had given birth to Matt, she had been the comforter, the caretaker. It felt odd – in a good way – to be the recipient.

They continued to look out over the sparkling lights of Port Angeles, while gently holding each other.

Finally, Bella broke the silence. "Edward, I really do need to get back." She hated the idea of leaving their quiet little nest, but she had been up since four that morning and was beginning to run out of steam. Plus, even though Charlie had told her to wait for a while before picking Matt up, she didn't intend to leave him there all day, so she needed to be getting some sleep pretty soon.

He squeezed her to his side and brushed his lips across her temple. "Okay. Let's go," he said, finally standing up and pulling Bella to her feet.

They quickly picked up all of their picnic items, along with any trash in the area. Edward put the picnic basket in his trunk, and then helped her into the Volvo, shutting her in securely. Within a few moments, they were slowly traveling down the gravel road back to the highway.

"So," Edward started, unable to wipe the grin off of his face, "are you free tomorrow?"

Bella was surprised. She had not expected him to want to see her again so soon, but then she realized she hadn't actually thought past their first official date. "Um… just in the early morning. Matt's going fishing with my dad, but then I had planned on picking him up soon after that. I'm not accustomed to being away from him for so long, so I begin to feel kinda lost when he's not home." She smiled softly at the thought of her son.

Edward reached over and entwined his fingers with hers, gripping gently. He heard her breathing accelerate slightly. "Well, I was wondering if you and Matt would be interested in going to Seattle with me to the zoo."

"You already had plans to go to the zoo tomorrow?" she asked with a laugh. The mental image of a dapper Edward Cullen wandering through the primate house was giving her the giggles.

He shrugged. "Only if you and Matt accompany me. It would be boring all by myself." He turned his eyes on her, displaying the best puppy dog look he could muster. "Please?"

Bella grinned at him, the car illuminated only by the dash lights. "Well, Matt won't be home until around noon, so that would probably be too late to get started, but how about Sunday? I'm sure you have some school work you need to concentrate on." She hated the idea of monopolizing his time when he needed to be focusing on school.

He lifted their conjoined hands to brush his knuckles lightly over her cheek. "That sounds great. We could even go up tomorrow night and get a great hotel room. Can Matt swim?"

She felt her mouth go completely dry at the idea of sharing a hotel room with Edward. She didn't know if she was ready for that yet or not. "Um…"

"Don't get the wrong idea, Bella," he said quickly, catching on to what was bothering her. "That's not what I had in mind. I just thought that it would be easier to go up the day before, let Matt play in the pool for a while, and then we could go to the zoo early. I know you'll have to go to work on Monday and want to be back home early on Sunday."

Bella nodded, feeling her face blush crimson in embarrassment. She had not meant to imply anything, but Edward made her nervous, although it was somewhat exciting. However, she was unsure of how to deal with all of the feelings and emotions he had brought to the surface, so she wisely kept silent, not wanting to dig herself further into a hole.

"Yeah, that sounds great. And yes, he can swim."

Edward smiled over at her. "Excellent. I'll pick you both up around three tomorrow afternoon, then, and we can head to Seattle. I'll make the reservations when I get home."

She returned his smile. "That sounds wonderful."

They were just pulling up in front of her apartment building, and Edward walked her inside. They stood outside her door, and she fiddled with her keys, not sure how to end the evening. So much had happened that evening. "Well…" she started.

He reached up to run his fingertips lightly down her cheek. "Good night, Bella. I had a wonderful time with you tonight. It was nice to get to know you better."

Bella looked up at him through her lashes. "Yes, I had a nice time, too. Thank you, Edward, for everything."

"You're welcome." He then leaned forward and brushed his lips softly against hers. "Night."

"Good night," she whispered, and then quickly let herself into her apartment.

She had done it. She had made it through her first official date and had an exciting future to look forward to. Hopefully, things would only improve from here.

xXx

Bella lay in her bed the next night, unable to sleep. She was irrationally worried about the trip to Seattle. She knew that Edward would not push her to do anything she didn't want to do, but the problem was that… she wanted to. Not since James had she been really attracted to a man, and Edward already was making her feel things she had never felt – things that not even James had brought out in her.

But she was a single mother, with a chronically ill son who depended on her. She could not afford to jump off the deep end with one Edward Cullen. She knew instinctively that if this new relationship turned sour, she would never be able to trust the male species again – or herself, for that matter. And that was what really worried her.

She had always thought herself a good judge of character, but she had questioned her instincts after the fiasco with James. Now, she found herself wishing and praying that her instincts about Edward were correct.

She would be devastated if she was wrong – again.

She turned over and looked at the clock. Three a.m. She had not yet been to sleep. She knew she needed to get some much needed shut eye if she were to be coherent for the Seattle trip.

She had to have all of her wits about her so she didn't screw anything up royally with Edward.

When she next opened her eyes, she noticed the grayness of the day coming through the curtains and pulled herself out of bed. She had managed to get a few hours of sleep, and now, she needed to prepare for the overnight excursion with Edward.

Her heart jumped in her chest at the thought of spending an entire night in his presence. He had not mentioned getting two rooms, and she was unable to pay for one herself, so she hoped and prayed that he was not expecting her to take the ultimate leap in their relationship.

If – and when – that time came, she really wanted it to be special and romantic.

She quickly threw a load of clothes in the washer and dropped the lid unceremoniously. She had been irrationally analyzing the scenario to death, and she was tired of worrying about it.

She would just go to Seattle with Edward and see what came of it. _If_ anything came of it.

Which she secretly hoped that it would.

She grabbed Matt's duffel bag out of the top of his closet and began packing for the trip.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Here we go! I hope you have as much fun reading this chapter as I had writing it. Also, several of you have mentioned that this story reminds you of a movie that was on TV. Actually, that was part of my inspiration for this story. The movie is **_**Class, **_**and it is on the Hallmark Channel. If you ever get a chance to watch it, I would highly recommend it. It's such a good movie!**

**A huge thanks goes out to my fantastic beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar. Thanks, girl, for catching everything I miss! And also much love to my fabulous prereader and ficwife, EternallyCullen. **

**See you at the bottom…**

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><p>Bella watched the greenery as it sped by her window. Matt had been talking nonstop since she had picked him up from Charlie's, as he first told her about the three fish he had caught – "They were this big, Mom!" he exclaimed, while holding his small arms way apart – and she had told him of their upcoming Seattle plans.<p>

He had not yet been to the zoo in his young life and was very excited about the opportunity to see the animals up close.

"Mom? Do you _promise_ that I'll get to see a real, live polar bear?" he asked for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

Bella turned in her seat and gave him a patient smile. "As long as they don't have them put up for any reason, you will get to see them."

"What about the penguins?"

She nodded. "Them, too. Matt, you'll get to see all kinds of animals tomorrow."

He sat back in the rear seat of the Volvo, a contented grin on his face. "Thanks, Edward, for taking me and my mom to the zoo."

Edward smiled at him in the rearview mirror. "My pleasure, buddy. I sure hope the elephants are out today. Have you ever seen a real elephant?"

Matt shook his head, his brown eyes wide in his small face. "No," he whispered. "Have you?"

"Sure have. I got to see quite a few of them when I went to the circus."

Matt's eyes grew even larger. "You got to go to the circus? Where?"

Edward smiled at him in the rearview mirror. "When I was ten, my mom and dad took me to Seattle to see the Ringling Brothers' circus. The elephants danced."

"Danced?" Matt asked, surprise in his voice. "Like, to music?"

Edward nodded, his grin stretching wider across his face and his green eyes sparkling. "Yep. They also climbed on top of each other."

Matt's mouth fell open. "Like in _Dumbo_?"

Edward looked confused. "_Dumbo_?"

At his perplexed tone, Bella turned in her seat slightly to look at him askance. "Don't tell me you've never seen _Dumbo_."

Edward shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, but no. Never have. I take it from your expressions that's a horrible thing."

Bella and Matt were looking at him as if his puppy had just been run over.

"It _is_ a terrible thing," Bella said solemnly. "We have to show you _Dumbo_. No one should ever go through life without seeing it."

Matt was bouncing in his seat. "Yeah, Edward! It's about a baby elephant that can _fly_!"

"Elephants can't fly," Edward teased him.

"Oh, yes they can!" Matt retorted. "If they have ears big enough. They didn't fly at the circus you went to?"

"Nope, sure didn't. But it sure does sound like I'm missing out on something important by not watching _Dumbo_."

Bella laughed. "Yes, you are. We have it at home, so when we get back, you'll have to come over and watch it with us." She suddenly clamped her lips together. She was still unsure of exactly what they were to each other now, but inviting him over had seemed so natural. Easy.

Edward linked their fingers together on the console. "I'd like that… very much."

xXx

Bella stared around the hotel room, her jaw dropping. When Edward had mentioned staying at a hotel, she had been thinking of something like Motel 6, not the Hotel 1000. She had remained speechless as they had walked through the lobby after Edward's Volvo was whisked away by a valet. She had tried to swallow the cotton in her mouth after the desk clerk had told them they were all checked in to the Grand Luxe Parlor Suite. Bella had been unable to imagine what the room would look like, but now, she was staring around at the opulent furnishings and the breathtaking view of Puget Sound easily visible through the crystal clear glass windows.

Oh, yeah. She was impressed.

"So, what do you think?" Edward asked, slight nervousness audible in his voice. He set the luggage down on the floor beside him and locked the door.

Bella swallowed again and gripped Matt's hand. "I… it's beautiful, Edward. I had no idea you would reserve something this… luxurious." She turned to him and pulled her lips into a smile. "I've never stayed anywhere so… perfect."

He grinned in return. "There are two bedrooms. I thought that would be best; that's why I reserved this room."

She felt her breath leave her in a rush of relief. She had been worrying for nothing. "That's great."

"Where's the pool?" Matt asked, looking up at Edward. "And can I jump on the bed?" His brown eyes, so like his mother's, sparkled.

"Oh, no, Matt! You can't do that," Bella hurriedly responded.

Edward laughed. "Well, I guess that settles it, Matt. Sorry."

Matt stuck his lower lip out. "Fine, Mom. But can we go swimming now?"

"Yeah… can we go swimming now?" Edward mimicked, his lip stuck out like Matt's.

Bella giggled. "I figured you two would be hungry first."

"You can't swim on a full stomach, Bella. Trust me." Edward pulled out his best "doctor" face he could manage.

"All right, all right. I'm ready to go whenever you guys are."

Matt did a brief happy dance, causing Bella and Edward to smile at each other.

She couldn't remember when she had felt so light and carefree.

Three hours later, Bella was tucking a sleeping Matthew into the King sized bed in one of the suite's bedrooms. He had completely worn himself out in the pool, showing off his cannonball and splashing skills for them. Bella had worried at first that this was the type of hotel would not be accommodating to a small child, but they had basically had the pool area to themselves.

Edward had ordered a plate of chicken strips and French fries to be delivered to the pool area, and Matt had sat at a patio table and eaten his dinner before they had trudged back upstairs. Bella had given him a quick bath and put clean pajamas on him; he had been asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.

"Are you hungry?" Edward asked her. "I thought we could order room service and eat dinner out on the balcony."

Bella's gaze slid over to the terrace that lay beyond the French doors of the living area. She could see the last rays of the sun setting and flashing brilliantly over the water. "That would be nice."

He grinned at her and headed to his room to shower and change. Bella stood in the empty living area for a few minutes, before heading into the bedroom she was sharing with Matthew to do the same.

When she reappeared into the living area, Edward was lounging casually on the overstuffed couch, flipping through television channels.

"Anything good on?" Bella asked casually.

He turned to look at her and smiled. "Nah. But there's a good scary movie on later, if you're interested."

She grinned at him. "Oh, I love scary movies. What is it?"

He looked at her appreciatively. "_The Others_. Have you seen it?"

Bella shivered slightly. "I tried to watch it once, but I was alone at home and started scaring myself, so I turned it off. But I'd love to actually be able to watch the whole movie."

"We don't have to."

She shook her head. "Oh, I want to! And since I'm not alone, I'll be fine." She blushed slightly.

Edward stood up at the knock at the door. "Sounds like dinner's here." He opened the door, and the waiter pushed a silver cart laden with shiny, dome covered plates.

Edward showed him out to the balcony, and the server transferred the food to the small table. He wished them a good night and nodded at Edward when he pushed a tip into his hand. Bella sat down in one of the chairs and took a deep breath while she stared out over the Seattle skyline and the lights from the boats floating in the Sound.

"Penny for your thoughts," he said softly, while removing the covers, revealing steaming plates of freshly grilled fish, vegetables, and bread. He pulled a bottle of wine out of the bucket of ice and popped the cork.

She smiled up at him. "I was just admiring the view and thinking of how perfect this is. You certainly are good at planning things like this," she said with a laugh.

"Yeah, I gotta give some of the credit to my dad, though. He's helped me come up with them."

He poured the sparkling white wine into her glass and sat down opposite her. "The view is pretty incredible, isn't it?"

She nodded, while cutting off a piece of the delicate white fish. "Yes, it is."

"So, how is Matt doing? He seems to be feeling much better," Edward said, making conversation. He could not pull his eyes away from how Bella's soft lips would open, and then slide along her fork. He shook himself mentally to pay attention to what she was saying.

"Yes, he is. His sugars have been running pretty good, and I can see a huge difference in his energy levels." She took a sip of her wine, trying to calm her racing pulse. It seemed that Edward had this effect on her every time she was close to him.

Edward watched the wine in her glass as it sparkled from the lights behind them in the room; he watched as she swallowed the mouthful, the liquid sliding down her throat. He wondered if her skin was as soft and silky as it looked. "That's good," he replied lamely, his voice slightly cracking.

The only sound for a few minutes was the clinking of their utensils on the china plates.

"So, how's school going?" she asked after a few moments of silence. "How much longer do you have to go?"

Edward set his glass down and wiped his mouth. "It's going well. I have two more years of school, and then I'll have to do my residency."

"How long will that take?"

He shrugged. "Well, my residency will take around four years, since I want to specialize in surgery, like my dad. Overall, I have about six more years to go."

Bella felt her eyebrows rise in surprise. "Wow. I'm sure that seems like forever."

"Yeah, sometimes it does, but I've only got two more years of actual school, and then I'll have about four years of training."

She smiled in response. "That's a very worthy goal, Edward. I'm sure you'll make a fantastic surgeon."

"Thanks," he mumbled shyly. He suddenly straightened up. "Are you finished? Did you get enough?"

Bella carefully wiped her lips with the linen napkin and nodded. "Yes, thank you, Edward. This was really fantastic."

He grinned at her. "You're welcome. Now, how about that movie?"

"I'm ready," she replied, standing up from the table and taking a deep breath of the salty sea air. "I just can't get over this view."

Edward walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "We'll have to come back here sometime," he said, his voice low.

Bella nodded. "That would be nice," she whispered, leaning back against Edward's chest. She could feel the heat radiating off of him and soaking into her skin through her clothing. It felt so nice, yet odd, to be held in such an intimate way.

They stood there, Edward's arms wrapped around Bella, while her hands rested on his forearms.

"So, how about that movie?" Bella asked, her voice shaking from nerves.

He grinned and dropped a light kiss on the top of her head. "Let's go. We don't want to be up too late."

She laughed. "No, or else you might have to carry me through the zoo tomorrow."

"Nah. I'll just rent you one of those electric cart things," he said, smirking.

Bella shook her head. "Yeah, that would be really attractive. Plus, I can see the headlines now: Forks Woman Crashes Motorized Scooter at Zoo Then Eaten by Tiger."

Edward laughed in return. He was not accustomed to seeing Bella so lighthearted that she was cracking jokes. "I'd try to save you before the tiger got you."

"My knight in shining armor," she said, batting her eyes at him.

They both wandered into the living area, shaking with laughter. But within a few minutes, Edward had the movie turned on, the lights turned off, and Bella wrapped securely in his arms while they lounged on the sofa.

The movie started, and Bella shivered involuntarily when the scenes with the dreary house encased in fog came on the screen.

"This movie scared the crap out of me," she said. "I hope I don't scream and wake Matt up."

"I'll be right here to protect you," he said, his voice husky.

Bella shivered again, but for a far different reason this time.

The two of them watched the flashing images on the screen in front of them, but both were lost in their own thoughts. Edward couldn't focus on the movie, as he was too distracted by the girl beside him. Before he knew what he was doing, he found his fingers entangled in her silky hair. He used his light grip to maneuver her face around so that he was looking down into her brown eyes, the television reflecting back.

But he saw something else, too. And that caused him to make his next move.

Ever so slowly, he brought his face down to hers, his eyes never straying from her gaze. When his lips brushed lightly against her mouth, he let his eyes slowly close, so he could focus on using his sense of touch. He felt the warm softness of her lips, opening slightly and moving slowly against his own. With his hand buried in her hair, he felt the lustrous tendrils slipping through his fingers, and with his other hand, he stroked her bare arm, reveling in the satiny feel of her soft skin against his own. His chest was brushing up against hers, and he felt the acceleration of her breathing, along with an electric jolt every time her soft breasts pressed against him as she would inhale.

He was on sensory overload.

Bella was also unable to pull herself away from Edward and his intoxicating presence. His mouth was like heaven… and his hands weren't too far behind. She wanted to be closer to him – needed to be as close as she could get.

Before she realized what she was doing, she had hiked one of her legs over his lap so that she was straddling his thighs, her hands coming up to run through his chaotic hair. She wound the bronze strands through her fingers, tugging gently.

Edward immediately dropped his hands so that he could caress her bottom, gently squeezing and pulling her tightly against him. He groaned involuntarily at the blazing fire that erupted in his lower abdomen. She was inadvertently pressing and grinding against him in her desire to get closer to him, and he felt as if he would spontaneously combust at any moment.

It had been a long time since… Very long.

He just prayed that he would be able to constrain himself; he did not wish to scare her off. He knew how distrusting she was toward most men and how nervous she had been about letting him get close to her.

When he heard a soft moan in her throat, he just prayed that he wouldn't completely lose control and end up trying to dry hump her right there on the damn sofa.

_Grip… get a grip… Bella… Get a grip on Bella…_

He shook his head to dispel the crazy thoughts running through his mind. He was twenty-three years old, for God's sake. He wasn't a blushing virgin.

But oh, how she made him feel that way!

Part of Bella's mind knew what she was doing, but she was unable to stop it. Ever since Edward had kissed her the night before, all she had been able to think about was getting him to do it again. It had been so long since she had felt any type of arousal, and even with James, she had never felt this intensity – especially from kissing. What was he doing to her?

She knew that she needed to pull back – to gain control of herself and move to the opposite end of the couch until her heartbeat slowed down. But when she opened her eyes and saw Edward's emerald eyes boring into hers – his lips slightly parted and his hair practically standing on end – she lost her resolve and attacked his mouth once more, while pressing her hips down.

She hadn't felt _that_ in a while!

"Bella… Bella, wait," he breathed, while his fingers traced patterns on her back under her shirt.

Bella forced herself to open her eyes and pull back. She sat straight up on his lap, and his hands fell to her thighs that were resting on either side of his. "I know," she panted. "We need to stop."

Edward swallowed hard, his mouth completely dry. He gazed up at the beautiful creature before him, and she looked as if she'd just been thoroughly kissed. Her hair was mussed, her eyes hooded, her cheeks flushed, and her lips slightly swollen. He was pleased that he could invoke that type of reaction in her.

He wanted to ravish her again, but he held himself in check. "I-I just don't want to push you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. And I don't want to go too fast, and then you regret it later."

_Push me! _her lower regions cried.

She ran her hands through her hair, trying to control the mass of curls. "I know, and I appreciate that," she said softly, while she disentangled herself from his arms. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

Edward tipped her face up to his. "Don't say you're sorry. Ever. I want you to be completely comfortable with me."

Bella smiled shyly, her face still burning with embarrassment and passion. She wasn't sure exactly what kind of hold Edward had over her, but she did know one thing.

She didn't want him to release her from it. Ever.

**End Notes: Well, what did you think? Your thoughts and ideas are always appreciated, so leave me some love!**


	19. Chapter 19

***Peeks around corner* Well, here I am! I am still around! I am so sorry for the massive delay in getting this chapter out to you. After some horrendous problems with my internet, then my computer, then my internet, then my computer… well, you get the picture. It hasn't been a pretty path, but I think I am finally at the end of that tunnel. Super thanks to my fabulous beta, JennyCullen, aka Jenrar, for all of her work and also to my partner in crime and ficwife, EternallyCullen. If you are in the mood for some good reading (especially citrus), check their profiles out!**

**And now, without further ado… **

Bella walked woodenly through the zoo, only snapping out of her daze whenever Matt would pull on her hand to show her some new animal. While she was there in body, her mind was a million miles away. Actually, her mind was back on the sofa from the night before, straddling Edward. She felt her cheeks flush at the intimate memory.

Edward had not behaved as if he was uncomfortable around her, but she caught him glancing at her often. Several times, he had slipped her fingers between his own and squeezed gently.

She wondered what last night had meant. Had it been a purely physical response between them or more? She was able to admit to herself that she liked Edward. She enjoyed being around him and simply watching him. His features were a lodestone to her, her eyes returning to him of their own accord, time and time again. But she also enjoyed just being with him, which led her to believe that there was more to her feelings than only lust.

_But what about him? What are his feelings for me?_ Bella wondered with trepidation. The very idea of exploring how he felt about her was frightening. She had been rejected once in her life, and it had been a painful experience of the highest magnitude. She had allowed herself to love, and the result had been that she'd ended up alone – with a baby on the way. She now had to be so careful with her choices. Every decision she made would affect Matthew. And he was the cornerstone of her life.

She was also terrified over the fact that she was possibly creating an entire relationship in her imagination. What if he didn't feel the same for her? If she brought it up first, she would look like a complete idiot, and the thought of Edward Cullen thinking she was nothing but an overly-emotional female caused her stomach to drop.

_Since when did his opinion of me matter so much?_

_Since he kissed you on that picnic._

Bella bit her lip at the memory. Yep. That was the moment she had started to fall for Edward Cullen.

_But you know that he only took you out because he felt sorry for you__…and__ wanted to make sure you cooperated with the project so he'd get a good grade, _her inner voice mocked.

_But he seemed interested…and he was turned on last night during our make out session…_

_Duh! He's a guy! Most guys his age are ready to fuck any girl that shows an interest in them!_

_I don't think Edward's like that –_

"Mom!" Matt yelled, tugging on her hand. "Which one?"

Bella pulled herself away from her silent argument. "What?" She had not paid one iota of attention to what they were doing. She could have been led into the lion's den and would have been none the wiser.

"Which one you wanna eat at? The rain forest or the ocean?"

"The what?" she asked, still confused and embarrassed to have been daydreaming about Edward while he was right next to her.

Edward chuckled. "Do you want to eat at the Rain Forest Pavilion or the Pacific Blue Chowder House?"

"Um, it doesn't matter. Whichever is good," she replied.

Edward led them toward the Rain Forest Pavilion, and they loaded their trays up. He took them through the line, paid for the small feast, and then followed Matt to a table that was a bit out of the way. They sat in silence, eating their lunch. Trekking all over the zoo had made them very hungry.

The three had finished their meals and were resting when an elderly couple walked by and stopped beside them.

"What an adorable little boy you two have there," the gray-haired woman remarked, a smile on her face. "He looks just like both of you!"

Bella felt her face flame. "Oh, uh…"

"Thank you," Edward replied smoothly, sliding his arm across the back of Bella's chair. "We're both very proud of him."

The elderly woman smiled at them again and then followed after her family.

Bella was stunned. "Edward…why…?"

He hoped he had not overstepped his bounds. "I thought that would be easier than to explain the dynamics."

"Oh," she said quietly.

_See? He's not interested in an instant family. He just wanted to avoid a lengthy explanation. Don't read more into it than it was!_

The remainder of the afternoon passed in a blur. Bella could not pull her thoughts away from what had passed between the two of them the night before.

They finally finished in all of the exhibits and headed toward the car, an exhausted little boy in tow. Edward had barely merged into traffic on the 104 when Matthew fell asleep in the back seat. He took advantage of the quiet and threaded his fingers through Bella's.

"You've been very quiet today. Penny for your thoughts," he said softly.

"Nothing major," she lied. "Just tired."

He made a noncommittal sound. "Well, the way you've chewed on your lip all day, I thought it would be something really important."

She forced a smile. "No," she replied, a bit too brightly.

"Look, Bella, about last night…"

_And here it comes…_

"Yeah?"

"Well, I-I just wanted you to know how much I enjoy being with you," he started.

She pressed her lips together into a hard line. "But you think it's best that we just be friends," she finished for him.

Edward looked over at her askance. "Huh? Where the hell did you get that idea?"

Bella stared at him, surprised. "Well, I figured that's what you were going to say."

"Why would I say that? Did last night not show you any of my feelings for you?"

She picked at a loose thread on her jeans. "I just thought it was only a physical reaction…"

He shook his head slightly. "No. I mean, it was. I mean, _you_ are the one who makes me feel this. _You_," he emphasized.

She stared at him in silence. Finally, she found her voice. "But, why me?"

"Because I feel something special for you. Something I've never felt for anyone. I don't go around making out with just any girl I meet, you know."

"But we're too different," she argued. "I wouldn't fit into your world." She stared out of the window, sorrowful at the knowledge that they could not be together. But she just wasn't good enough for him.

Edward sighed. "Damn it, Bella. None of that matters! All that matters is how _we_ feel about each other, and call me a liar, but I know you feel something for me."

"Don't," she whispered. If she gave voice to her feelings, her heart would be torn in two when things didn't work out.

He pushed her. "Admit it. You feel something; I know you do."

Before she could stop herself, the words were flowing out of her mouth. "Yes, I do, okay? You know I do. Do I want something with you? Of course I do! But it would never work!"

"Why wouldn't it work?"

She couldn't believe he was going to make her say it. "Because you're…_you_! And I'm me. You should have a tall, beautiful blonde on your arm, one who's from a good family with money. Like you are. Not me…"

Edward shook his head. "The only way it won't work is if you are damned determined that it's not going to. Shit, Bella, we're not in the fourteenth century! Social classes don't matter anymore, unless you make them matter!"

She wanted to believe him. God, how she wanted to! Now that she had admitted to herself that she felt something deeper for Edward, she wanted nothing more than to be his. But it was easy for him to say this now. What about in the future, when they were at some fancy cocktail party? Would he be embarrassed of her around his colleagues when she didn't have the pedigree or education the rest had?

"I-I don't know," she said quietly.

"I do. Let's at least try. Please? I can't let you go now."

The thought of letting him go was killing her, but she knew that she had no right to keep him for herself. Her mother's old saying came back to her: _If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it's yours. If it never returns, it was not yours to begin with._

She chose to stay silent, hoping that he would come to his senses. The simple fact was that she knew she didn't deserve him.

~CA~

Edward walked Bella to her door, Matt in his arms. The little guy had fallen asleep as soon as they had hit the road, and he was still sleeping soundly. Edward followed her inside the apartment and laid Matt down in his bed, gently removing his shoes.

"He's worn out," he said quietly.

"Yeah. He's had a busy day."

They looked at each other awkwardly, neither of them knowing what to say. They had only made small talk the rest of the way home, not wanting to mention the elephant in the room. Bella had hoped he had wised up, and he prayed she would give in to her emotions.

Edward fiddled with the keys in his pocket. "Well, I guess I'd better go. I've got an early day tomorrow."

She nodded, unable to look him in the eyes. "Yeah, me, too."

He walked to the door but turned around before he entered the hallway. "Bella… I'm not going to push you on this, but please think about things before you make a decision. Don't shut the door on us before we've even begun."

She finally looked up into his face and was surprised at the raw pain she saw on his features. Did he really want her that badly? She remembered the elderly lady at the zoo who had complimented them on their _family_. Did he want that? She nodded in acquiescence. "I will."

He smiled in response. "Good. Well, I'll talk to you tomorrow," he said and placed a quick kiss on the top of her head.

He quickly turned on his heel and headed back to his car. Pulling out of the parking lot, he thought back over the last twenty-four hours and felt a silly grin pull at his lips. Bella wasn't going to make it easy, but he felt confident that he could charm her into admitting that she did want to be with him. Taking the twists and turns of the road easily, he allowed his mind to wander back to Bella.

No, he had never intended to get involved with a single mother.

Yes, they were from different circles of society.

Yes, it appeared on the surface as if they had nothing in common.

But he knew that they _did_ have something in common – the most important thing in any relationship. They wanted to be with each other. And he'd be damned before he let her go just because of some asshole from her past that made her feel as if she wasn't good enough.

Edward had not planned on a relationship at this point in either his life or education. He had planned to get through med school and his residency without the pressure of maintaining a relationship. However, no one could plan on falling for someone, and he was not about to let Bella go just because it hadn't been in his original plan.

He was determined to make her see reason – to make her see that they belonged together.

He only hoped that his confidence in his abilities to make things happen wouldn't end up blowing up in his face.

**End Notes: This chapter wasn't as long as I originally intended, but this was a good place to stop. Be on the lookout for the next chapter! The delay will not be nearly as long! And I would really appreciate it if you clicked on that little "review" button right down there and dropped me a line! **


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Thank you to all of you who are still with me and to those of you who just came aboard! I hope you enjoy this chapter. We've settled in, fastened our seatbelts, and put our seats and trays in the upright position. Now we are ready to take off! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I am still just overwhelmed at the wonderful reviews I've received from each of you on this story. I wish I could answer each one of you individually! Just know that each review alert I receive brightens my day and puts a smile on my face!**

**I also want to thank my wonderful writing team: Jenny Cullen (aka Jenrar) is my fantabulous beta who catches the mistakes I miss and EternallyCullen, my beloved ficwife, collaborating author of several stories, and prereader. It helps me so much to have someone like you that I can hash out story lines and problems with. If you are looking for some great reads, check out their profiles both on Twilighted and Fanfiction . net. Also, check out the collab fics that EternallyCullen and I have written together. She is the frosting to my cake!**

**Also, for up to the minute alerts and teasers, friend me on Facebook under Lisa Dawn Fanfiction and follow me on Twitter LisaDawn75.**

**And finally, the regular disclaimer applies to everything here. Stephenie Meyer owns it all, I only own Matthew. I am only borrowing her characters and will give them back when I'm done.**

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><p>"Well, Edward," Carlisle said, interrupting his son's thoughts at the dinner table the next night, "how is your Ethics project coming along?"<p>

Edward chewed thoughtfully and fought the grin that threatened to cross his face. "It's coming along." _Shit… I gotta do some work tonight on that project! _ Edward suddenly realized that he had been spending quite a bit of time with Bella, putting more effort on their budding relationship than on his paper. He was going to have to burn some midnight oil tonight in order to get his schoolwork caught up.

"And how is Bella?" Carlisle asked, eyeing Edward with interest.

The grin that had threatened earlier erupted. He was powerless to stop it. "She's good." _She's fucking fantastic!_

Esme smiled gently at her son. "I can see that we're going to have to drag it out of you, Edward. Tell us about Bella."

Edward laughed. "I just don't know what to say… She's wonderful. More than wonderful. I've never met anyone like her."

She patted his hand. "Your father and I are so happy for you, Edward. And we couldn't be prouder of you. So, when do we get to meet the girl who's captured your heart?"

"Dad's already met her." He stabbed an asparagus spear with his fork, hoping that would delay the inevitable.

Carlisle shook his head. "Oh, no. Don't try that with your mother; you know that won't work," he teased. "I've only met her in a professional capacity. You're on your own with this." Carlisle smiled at him, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I mean, when do we get to meet her as part of the family?" Esme pressed.

Edward shrugged, slightly uncomfortable in the spotlight. But he was thankful Emmett wasn't there to tease him further. He was still trying to get Bella accustomed to the idea of dating. He really didn't want to spring his family – especially Emmett – on her this soon.

Esme's eyes lit up. "I know! Next weekend is your father's birthday, and the entire family will be here**.** You'll have to bring her and Matthew with you to the party," she said firmly, giving Edward a hard look.

_Whoa… _"Mom, I don't know if she's up for meeting _everyone_ at one time," he hedged, thinking of his older brother again. "You know how Emmett can be, especially with company – and he's going to be even worse with a girl I like."

"Carlisle, you speak to Emmett beforehand so he doesn't do anything to embarrass Bella," Esme said to her husband. "Edward, I know Emmett can be loud and a bit overbearing, but he knows Bella is important to you, and I don't think he would do anything to make her uncomfortable intentionally."

Carlisle agreed, and Edward knew that he was just going to have to bite the bullet and bring Bella to meet his family. He just hoped they didn't scare her off.

xXx

Bella blanched, her brown eyes wide. "Wh-What do you mean? Meet your parents? And your _family_?" she asked disbelievingly. _Oh. My. God._

Edward took her hand in his, lightly rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. "Yes, Bella. My family – and especially my mom – really wants to meet you."

She pulled her lower lip in between her teeth and chewed on it nervously. "I-I don't know, Edward. Don't you think that's rushing things a bit? I mean, we're still… We're… Hell, I don't know what we are," she finished, finally smiling slightly.

Edward stared deeply into her eyes. "We're trying to be together, and part of that is meeting each other's family. I know this seems sudden to you, but to my family, it's not. They've been waiting for me to bring a girl home for years. They're very excited and happy that I've found someone."

Bella was torn. Only a few days ago, once they had arrived back in Forks from Seattle, she and Edward had finally admitted to each other that they wanted more from their relationship than a grade on his Ethics project and a specialist for Matthew. They had since shared several phone conversations, the one from the last evening lasting several hours as they had talked about everything and nothing in particular. But on the other hand, she was still attempting to work through her issues and felt that being presented to the Cullen family was something she was not yet keen to do. She was awkward enough on her own; the thought of unleashing her clumsiness on the elegant and refined Cullens was enough to make her nauseated.

She suddenly snapped her eyes back to his. "What do you mean, they've been waiting for years?"

He sighed and leaned back into her couch. "What I mean is that I haven't dated much. At all. Sure, I took a girl to the senior prom and had a few dates in high school, but once I went to college, I didn't really get into the dating scene – just a few odd dates here and there but never someone I wanted to bring home. I was too consumed with my classes. Until you," he finished softly.

She swallowed hard. Wow. Meeting the folks. Was she up to this? And if she did go, would that mean she would have to introduce Edward to her father? Yes, they had met briefly at the hospital a few weeks prior, but at that time, he was just there for his assignment. Not for _her_. She rubbed her temples in an attempt to stifle the headache she felt coming on.

"I never met James'sparents," she blurted out. Shit. _Why can't you just talk silently to yourself, like normal people?_

Edward's jaw tightened. "No wonder. He was a bastard."

Bella nodded. "Yes, he was. Oh, Edward… I'm just worried."

"About what?" he asked, confused.

She sighed. "What if they don't like me? What if they take one look at Matthew and think that I'm only after you for their money or the prestige of dating a future doctor?"

Edward pulled her back into his chest and skimmed his nose through her hair. He loved how she smelled. "They know better than that. Besides, I'm the one chasing you, Isabella, for your many lovely and magnetic qualities."

His voice had dropped several notches, and the husky undertone sent shivers down her spine. _This man must be a wizard…_

"Please?" he begged softly, tightening his hold on her. She was still frightened, and he didn't want her to bolt.

Bella turned her head to look into Edward's green eyes. She could see some type of emotion but wasn't sure what it was. His gaze was magnetic and hypnotic, and she felt the butterflies in her stomach kick into overdrive. When he looked at her like that, she could deny him nothing. "And you're sure they want to meet me…andMatt?"

He nodded. "It's a big day; it's my father's birthday, and my mom always throws a big family party for it. Both of my brothers will be in from school, and they'll be bringing their girlfriends, so you won't be alone." He hoped that having some other girls there around her age would ease her anxiety a bit.

She worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

"And then I'll go meet your dad – officially – whenever you say," he added, trying to sweeten the deal.

"You _want_ to meet Charlie?" she asked, surprised.

He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her back so that she would rest her weight on him. "Of course, Bella," he said softly. "I told you that I want more with you – and that involves meeting your father. He won't shoot me, will he?" he asked, slight worry evident in his tone. _Be on your best behavior, Cullen_, he thought_. The last man she was with knocked her up and took off… __You__ don't want Chief Swan thinking you're going to do the same. He might shoot you on sight just on principle._

Bella laughed and snuggled into his embrace. "I don't _think_ he will…"

"I love that sound," he murmured.

"What sound?"

He placed a light kiss on her temple. "The sound of your laugh. You should laugh more often."

"Well, there may be plenty of laughter when your family meets me." She dreaded walking into the midst of the Cullens in her Goodwill clothes while they were dressed in designer fashions possibly straight off of the runway in Paris. _No telling what they'll think of you…_

She stared up at him, unable to form any coherent words.

"I _want_ to introduce you – and Matt – to my family, and they will _love_ you." He pleaded with her with his eyes.

Bella nodded. "O-Okay," she whispered, and Edward placed a chaste kiss on her lips, unable to keep the smile off of his face.

xXx

"Well, you certainly look perky," Jacob Black teased Bella as she walked up to him in front of the movie theater in Port Angeles. "Much better than the last time I saw you which, of course, has been far too long. You even have some color in your cheeks."

Bella blushed at his comments. "Sorry. I've been working. And yeah, I am pretty good," she muttered, embarrassed, but she was glad to see her best friend.

He laughed and threw his arm around her shoulder, guiding her to the concession stand where he ordered an extra-large popcorn, large Coke, and a box of Milk Duds. "I know; your dad told my dad…"

She laughed lightly and shook her head to decline any snacks. "Of course he did."

"Hey, I'm happy for you. I think it's awesome that you've finally met a great guy. And he's gonna be a doctor… Nice! Bells, it _really_ is good to see you smiling and happy," he said seriously. He had been worried about her ever since she had started dating James. After he had left her brokenhearted, Jake had been even more concerned about his oldest childhood friend. He was glad that some happiness was coming into her life; she deserved it.

She blushed even more. She was shy about discussing Edward with anyone – especially Jake.

"Yeah, he is a great guy."

He grinned at her and stared walking toward the cinema. He had been ecstatic when Bella had accepted his offer to go see a movie. They hadn'tspent much time together for a while, and he had really been missing her. Other than his father, she was the only one who accepted him for what he was. Some of the elders on the reservation thought he was wasting his life by becoming a grease monkey, but he was able to do what he loved for a living, and he was happy. He would much rather enjoy his job and not have as many expensive toys than to be a slave to big business, which would only make him miserable. His goal was to eventually open his own garage and restore old cars, which would be a boon to the reservation.

"I really am happy for you."

"Thanks," she said, grinning at him. "Matt really likes him, too."

Jacob led her into a row in the middle of the theater and flopped his large frame into a seat. "Well, that's a good sign. Matt's a perceptive little guy. Has Charlie met him yet?"

She nodded. "Yeah, they met briefly when Matt was in the hospital."

"If Charlie and Matt approve, he's off to a good start, but he still has to get by me," Jake said.

Bella groaned. "Oh, no. Jake…"

"Bells, you know you're like my little sister. It's my job to protect you."

"I'm a grown woman," she mumbled, trying to glare at him to make a point but unable to keep the smile from her face. She had forgotten how much fun she had just being with Jake. He was like the sun, making her feel warm and relaxed.

"I know, but I'm still gonna look out for you. I'm not gonna let you get hurt again."

She just nodded in acquiescence, knowing it was futile to argue, and settled in to watch the movie.

When they filed out of the movie theater, Bella pulled her phone out of her pocket. _Twelve missed calls?_ Bella felt her stomach drop. She opened the call log and saw where her dad had tried to call her repeatedly over the last hour. _Shit…_

Bella quickly called his number back, and he answered on the first ring.

"Bella?" Charlie asked, his voice tense.

"Yeah. Dad, what's going on?" She held her finger up at Jake's questioning gaze.

"Where have you been? You didn't answer your phone."

Her hands started to shake. "I've been at the movies with Jake and had my phone on silent. What's wrong?"

Charlie let out a shuddering breath. "Bells, I just got the paperwork in the office. James is suing you for full custody of Matt. He's back."

**End Note: What did you think? Push that little button right there and leave me some love. You will make my day!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has been reading, reviewing and favoriting! You guys are the best! Also, a big thanks to my fabulous beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar, and my lovely prereader and ficwife, EternallyCullen. You girls rock my world! If you are looking for something to read, I highly recommend anything they've written!**

**If you haven't done so yet, consider donating to Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! Just a $5 donation will get you a wonderful compilation of **_**Twilight**_** fanfics (and a few **_**Hunger Games**_**, too) that will not be available anywhere else. I have donated a one-shot from **_**Breaking Dawn**_**, written from Charlie's POV during the chapters where Jake brings him in on the secret and phases in front of him! Check out their website at fandom4lls. /?zx=18cf4cf386649f2e.**

**Last, I have discovered a new author that I think is just WONDERFUL! If you want something that will rock your socks, check out Discordia's works. She's on under Discordia81. She just wrote a one-shot, "Blood Dream," that is… it's just great and you need to read it! Tell her I sent you! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing here, except Matthew. He is mine! Everything else belongs to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer.**

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><p>"Bella?" Charlie asked, his voice tense.<p>

"Yeah. Dad, what's going on?" She held her finger up at Jake's questioning gaze.

"Where have you been? You didn't answer your phone."

Her hands started to shake. "I've been at the movies with Jake and had my phone on silent. What's wrong?"

Charlie let out a shuddering breath. "Bells, I just got the paperwork in the office. James is suing you for full custody of Matt. He's back."

Bella stood on the sidewalk in stunned silence. Surely she hadn't heard her father right. "Wh-What did you say? Dad?"

"I said that I have a court summons here for you. That asshole, James, has filed the papers to try to get full custody of Matt."

Jake saw Bella's face go white and quickly put an arm around her waist; he was afraid she would collapse. "Bella… What's going on?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head, unable to get her voice to work. _James… James has come back…for Matt… Oh, God! _She could only force a strangled cry from her lips, so Jacob took the phone and put it up to his ear.

"Charlie, what's going on?" he asked.

Charlie repeated his information, and Jacob blanched, his normal russet complexion paling. "Shit…"

"Can you get her home? Or better yet, bring her over to my house. We've got to figure out what we're going to do."

"Sure, sure," he replied, already leading Bella to her truck. "See you in a bit," he told Charlie and then disconnected. He pushed Bella into the passenger side before sliding behind the wheel.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice still dazed.

"Taking you to Charlie's," he replied.

Bella stared out of the window at the greenery rushing by her window, thankful that Jake had been with her when she had received the news. She didn't think she would have been able to make it back to Forks if she'd been alone.

_James… How could he…? Was it not enough for him to ditch me when I was pregnant at sixteen? Was it not enough that he's had absolutely nothing to do with Matt all these years? Has he not hurt me enough?_

She felt her eyes smart as the tears threatened to fall down her cheeks. She had endured so much at James's hands; would she be able to endure this? She knew the answer to that. If he succeeded and took Matthew away from her, then no. She would not survive.

She drew in a shuddering breath, and Jake's arm was suddenly around her shoulders, tugging her across the seat. She went without protest, grateful for the support. Jake had always been her own personal sun – full of light and warmth. And she needed him now.

"Jake, what am I going to do?" she whispered. She felt as if a giant hole had been punched in her chest.

He rested his cheek on top of her head. "It'll be okay. You'll see. There's no judge in this state that would take Matt away from you and give him to that son-of-a-bitch. He left you, Bella. He left you with a baby, and he's never even tried to contact you to see him. Matt's six years old and has never laid eyes on his father, so you don't have to worry."

She tried to take comfort in his words – and she knew he was right – but a cold hand had already gotten hold of her, and she couldn't shake it.

Her life experiences had taught her to be prepared for anything – to expect the worst and hope for the best. She didn't say any more until they pulled up in front of Charlie's house.

Charlie met them outside. "Where's Matt?"

"He's over at Sue's," Jacob said. "She hadn't seen him for a while, so she wanted him to come over because she was babysitting Claire, too."

He nodded thoughtfully. "That's probably for the best. He doesn't need to hear all this anyway. Kid's too smart for his britches, and he'd just worry."

Bella looked up at her father, suddenly feeling like a child again. She wanted – no, needed – her daddy to dispel all of the darklings and monsters that threatened to disrupt her safe haven. "Dad…" she whispered, suddenly leaving Jake's arms and entering her father's embrace. She inhaled deeply and was comforted by the familiar scents from her childhood: the aftershave Charlie had used for as long as she could remember, the leathery smell of his police jacket…

Charlie hugged Bella tightly to him. He had wanted nothing but to hunt James down when he had learned what the man had done to his daughter, but over time – and with the addition of Matthew to their family – he had moved past the hate he'd felt and had allowed his love for his daughter and grandson to take front and center. Now, however, he realized he hadn't let go of his anger but had only pushed it down and buried it. While he stood in his tiny front yard with his daughter in his arms, he was surprised at the murderous rage he felt toward James. It scared him, if he was honest with himself.

"Bells, don't worry. We're going to fight this." He steered her into the house and out of the mist that was beginning to fall.

She sniffed and swiped at her eyes. "H-How? I don't have the money for a lawyer…" She sat down, hard, on the sofa and wrapped her arms around her knees.

Jake sat down beside her. "We'll figure out a way, Bella. Please, don't worry. It's all going to be okay, and maybe now that he's come back, you can actually get some child support out of him." He clenched his jaw at the anger he felt toward this _man_ who had left his best friend alone and struggling for every penny.

"I'm going to go to the bank on Monday and take out a second mortgage," Charlie announced.

Bella looked up in horror. "Oh, Dad! No! I can't let you do that. This is your house!"

He held his hands up. "Bells, I'm going to do whatever I have to. If it means a second mortgage, then that's what we'll do. This is as much your house as it is mine."

What she wanted to do was to call Edward. Or better yet, run to him and fling herself into his arms. Instead, she took a deep breath and stood shakily. "Dad, I'll figure something out; don't do that. Jake, can Matt stay with you tonight? I'd feel better if he was somewhere that James wouldn't know about."

"Bella, you can't think that he'd actually try to kidnap him, do you?" Jake asked, surprised.

She shook her head. "N-No… I'd just feel better – for tonight – if he was with you on the reservation. I-I need to do some thinking about what I'm going to do." _And try to find Edward…_

Jake hugged her tightly. "Of course he can. He can stay as long as he needs to."

Bella squeezed him back in gratitude and then pulled away. "Okay, Dad, I'm going to go home and get some paperwork together." She had been very thorough in keeping records of each time she had tried to contact James regarding Matt, and she had kept all of the letters the Division of Child Support had sent her from when they had attempted to locate him without success, as well.

Charlie stared at her for a moment. "Okay, but you'll call me if you need to, right?"

"Sure, sure," she said distractedly. She hugged her father quickly and then turned to Jake. "I'll come pick him up tomorrow, okay?"

He shook his head. He knew she couldn't spare the gas, especially after their afternoon together. "No, I'll bring him home. Just call me when you're ready for him."

"Thanks, Jake," she said, her voice cracking. She needed to get home before she lost it, but Jake followed her outside. "Oh, shit! Your car!" She had completely forgotten that Jake had driven her back to Forks, leaving his Rabbit in the movie theater's parking lot.

"Don't worry about it. Look, Bella, are you sure you're gonna be all right?" He looked at her worriedly.

She groaned inwardly. She knew that Jacob felt a bit more for her than just a friend, but she couldn't deal with that right then. "Yes, I'll be fine. I'm going to call Edward when I get home. Maybe his dad will have some ideas of what I can do, or maybe I can get some free legal aid if Edward knows someone in the law department at the university."

He nodded, understanding. "Okay, but I want you to know that I'm here for you – no matter what."

Bella felt a flood of emotion run through her and hugged her best friend fiercely. "Thanks, Jake…for everything. I'll call you tomorrow."

He kissed her on the top of the head and released her. He watched silently as Bella clambered into her ancient truck and drove off down the street. One thing was sure – he certainly envied this Edward Cullen.

xXx

Bella shuffled into her apartment and shut the door quietly. She turned around and leaned against its support, her hand flying up to her mouth to contain her sob. Everywhere she looked, she saw something that reminded her of Matthew: a toy that hadn't made its way into the toy chest; a paper he had colored for her at school; his kindergarten picture in its frame on top of the television, his grin large and wide, revealing the gap where he had lost his first tooth.

She slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor. She was attempting to keep herself from falling apart, but she wasn't succeeding. Another sob tore its way from her throat, and she gave into the fear and slid to her side, allowing the tears free reign.

_How can he do this to me? And why in the hell is he trying to take Matt away from me? Why couldn't he have called and asked to see him? Why…why…why…_

The thoughts rolled like a looped tape around in her mind, causing her to sway between disbelief, anger, and fright. Intellectually, she knew that Jacob had to be correct in that no judge in the state of Washington would ever agree to take custody of her son away from her and give it to his deadbeat, absentee father. Not to mention, her father was a well-known and well-respected law enforcement officer – the Chief of Police; surely Charlie would have some clout with the courts. But emotionally, she could only imagine the worst happening. She was a bad luck magnet, and this would be the summit of all of her misfortune.

Bella wasn't sure how long she lay on the cheap carpet of her apartment, but eventually, she became aware of her phone ringing. Thinking it might be Jake about Matt, she hurriedly dug it out of her pocket and flipped it open.

"Hello?" she said, her voice sounding hollow even to her.

"Bella?" Edward's velvet voice came across the line, causing her to sigh in relief. "Are you all right? You sound different."

Bella wiped her nose on her sleeve, not caring that she appeared very unladylike in that moment. "Um… No, not really."

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

She felt her thinly controlled emotions threatening to break again. "Um… W-Well… It's, uh, J-James." She bit her lip to keep it from trembling.

"What did that bastard do?" he growled out.

"H-He…um…" She sniffled, unable to finish the sentence.

"I'm on my way," he said, and then she heard a click.

Edward was on his way, just like her own personal knight in shining armor. She wondered when she had come to depend on him so much. It seemed as if it had only been yesterday when she had kicked him out of her apartment for acting so sanctimonious; yet again, it seemed as if he'd been a part of her life for years.

_Pull yourself together, or he's going to think you're mentally unstable. _She forced her body to cooperate as she climbed to her feet. She splashed some cold water on her face but was unable to hide the obvious evidence she'd been crying. Her usual pale complexion was now blotchy and red. She shook her head and flicked the bathroom light off. There was no sense in trying to make herself presentable. It just wasn't going to happen, and she was certain that more tears were going to flow once Edward was there and coerced her to tell him what had happened.

Bella started at the knock on her door. _That was fast… _She opened the door and saw Edward standing on the threshold in faded, torn jeans and a black T-shirt that stretched across his chest. She momentarily forgot about her James dilemma; all she could think about was the Adonis who was standing in her doorway.

"Um…" She couldn't get her mouth to cooperate, either.

Edward looked at her, worry evident in his green eyes. "Bella, what's wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowed. He stepped into the room and drew her into his arms.

The unconditional support she felt there caused the floodgates to open again, and she began sobbing uncontrollably. She tried to pull herself together before Edward ran away, screaming, but she was unable to get a handle on her emotions.

Edward just tightened his hold on her and kicked the door shut with his foot. He gently eased her over to the sofa and sank down onto the cushions, pulling her with him. He settled her into his lap and smoothed his hand over her hair, patiently waiting for her crying to subside so he could find out what had happened. He didn't think Matt had suffered a relapse with his diabetes; if he had, Edward was certain Bella would have been with him and not in her apartment, alone.

He held her, rocking gently, feeling her tears soak through his shirt. After a while, it appeared that Bella was beginning to calm down, and he looked down into her face. "Bella, what happened?" he asked, stroking his thumb down her cheeks to rid her skin of her tears.

She took a shuddering breath and slipped her arm around his waist, wanting to hold on for dear life. Her need for him frightened her; she had been completely self-reliant and independent since James had fucked her over, but now, she was holding to Edward as if he was her lifeline.

"J-James… He filed p-papers…for c-custody of M-Matt," she whispered in between hiccups.

Edward leaned back and tried to reign in his anger. "Don't worry, Bella," he whispered. "Don't let that asshole upset you."

Bella shook her head. "But what if he…wins? I-I can't live without M-Matt."

He pressed her head to his shoulder as he rocked her back and forth. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let him."

Bella and Matt had just come into his life – and Bella had only recently admitted she wanted them to try for a relationship together – and he'd be damned before he let that motherfucker screw up his future.

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><p><strong>End Notes: Well? What did you think? Leave me some love! You will make my entire week! Next chapter will be up soon!<strong>

**Follow me on Twitter LisaDawn75 or friend me on Facebook under Lisa Dawn Fanfiction.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Well, here we go… Hope you enjoy! As always, I want to thank each and every one of you who have reviewed, alerted, favorite, or followed this story! And I am sending a huge thanks to my wonderful beta, Jenny Cullen, for everything she does! And thank you to Discordia for her help on this chapter! Go check out these ladies' work! They are all sorts of awesome!**

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><p>Edward forced his jaw to relax before the pressure shattered his teeth. He was attempting to bury the rage and fury he felt so Bella wouldn't mistake his anger at James to be directed at her. He took several deep, cleansing breaths – in through his nose and out from his mouth – and held her gently in his arms.<p>

She had stopped sobbing, and now, only the occasional hiccup would escape. They just sat together on her faded, secondhand couch, she in his lap, his arms wrapped around her. The two of them just looked into each other's eyes in the comfortable silence of the apartment. There was no noise except their breathing.

Edward stared into her brown eyes and felt a surge of protectiveness sweep over him. Bella was his, damn it. Therefore, Matt was his by association. They were now two of the most important people in his life, and he'd be damned before he just sat idly by and watched this bastard swoop in and destroy everything he had finally realized he wanted for his future.

"Bella," he whispered, brushing her hair back off of her tear-streaked face. "Please don't worry. I'm going to take care of everything."

"But how?" she whispered back, playing with a loose thread on his T-shirt. "Edward, I can't ask you to take this on – not with school and everything you have going on."

He placed a finger over her lips. "Don't even try that, Bella. I'm not leaving you here to fight this alone. Let me help you," he pleaded, wanting nothing more than to grab Bella and Matt and take off, leaving all of their problems behind.

She let out a sigh. She was so tired of fighting…so tired of expending all of her energy and then watching as her efforts crumbled and came to naught. She forced her muscles to relax, settling deeper into Edward's embrace. She felt so safe with him – so _loved_.

"Trust me…" he begged softly.

Bella nodded as the sudden knowledge was clear to her that she did indeed trust Edward. Implicitly. Irrevocably. "I trust you," she whispered and brought her palm up to rest on his cheek, a small thrill running through her at the rough stubble there.

Edward closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling of the final wall falling away from Bella's soul. She trusted him. That was all he'd ever hoped for since the moment he'd admitted to himself that he cared for her. "Bella…" he whispered, staring deeply into her eyes, testosterone flooding through his system.

She nodded her head, understanding passing between them silently. He shifted her weight slightly and leaned down, gently pressing his lips to hers. He felt like a cad for attempting to bring romance into their warm, safe cocoon, but when she eagerly moved her lips against his, he tightened his arms around her and deepened the kiss.

Bella sighed as she wrapped her arms around Edward's neck, running her fingers through the silky copper hair at the nape of his neck. This was right… This was where she belonged. She knew immediately that she cared for him deeply – that she loved him. Was _in_ love with him. And she wanted nothing more than to surrender herself – mind, soul, and body – to him completely.

She wanted him…in her bed. The sudden awareness of the fact caused her to gasp in surprise. She had thought that part of her life was over.

"What?" he whispered, brushing his lips across her brow.

She felt her face redden in embarrassment. How could she tell him what she wanted? Instead of voicing her thoughts, she bit her lip and shook her head.

Edward sighed. He had noticed the increase in her breathing, the dilation of her pupils. He hoped and prayed these were symptoms of arousal and not something else. "Tell me…" he breathed, his lips only millimeters from hers.

Bella felt his hot breath wash over the delicate skin of her lips and sighed. Oh, how delectable he was! "I-I want you," she whispered, feeling her face warm up a few thousand degrees.

"I want you, too," he said softly, pressing his lips to hers gently and then withdrawing.

She stared at his lips, unable to meet his eyes. His perfect lips…his warm, soft lips… She wanted those lips all over her body. "I w-want you…in there," she said, nodding her head toward her bedroom door.

Edward groaned, his semi-erection immediately becoming full-blown. _Holy shit_… It had been a long time since Edward had been with a woman, and he hoped that he could handle himself like Don Juan and not the nervous, teenage boy he suddenly felt like. All he needed was for Bella to finally want him to make love to her, and then he end up blowing his wad before she was even naked… She deserved to be loved – worshiped**.**

He nodded, trying not to give away his inner turmoil, instinctively knowing that Bella would mistake his hesitance as disinterest in her. He wasn't sure he could explain that it was his doubt in his own skills that was making him a sudden, tongue-tied fool.

She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed another quick kiss on her mouth and then stood, cradling her against his chest. He wanted to do this right – make it an experience she'd never forget. He carried her into her small bedroom, kicking the door shut with his foot.

"You're sure?" he asked, staring into her chocolate brown eyes. All he saw there was love, arousal, and excitement.

Bella nodded. "Yes, Edward. I want this; I want you," she said simply.

"Oh, God," he groaned and buried his fingers in her hair, pulling her in for a kiss. This one was rougher than the others, and he shuddered when he felt her open her mouth, silently inviting him inside to explore.

Bella grasped onto Edward's biceps as his tongue explored. When he licked the roof of her mouth, she shivered in delight and ran her fingers through his hair, tugging on the bronze locks. She simultaneously started kicking her shoes off, wanting nothing more than to be completely naked with an equally naked Edward wrapped around her.

"Edward…" she murmured against his mouth when he pulled away for air.

He leaned back and looked down at her, smiling. She was beautiful…exquisite. And she was _his_. He stilled her hands when she went to grasp the hem of her shirt. "No, let me," he whispered. He was surprised to see his hands shaking.

She nodded and took a step back, allowing him to pull the cotton garment over her head. She shivered in anticipation.

"Bella," he said as he slowly exposed her pale flesh, "you are so beautiful…"

She smiled at his compliment. She had never felt beautiful. She had always felt clumsy and out of touch with those around her – as if she didn't fit anywhere. But today, here, with him, she did feel beautiful. She didn't feel embarrassed or awkward as she now stood before him in her jeans and bra. "So are you," she replied, reaching out to pull his T-shirt over his head. The anticipation made her mouth water.

Edward smiled at her softly, thrilled at her words. He craved to be all she had ever needed and all she would ever want. He wanted to be everything to her. He bent down so she could pull the fabric over his head.

Bella gasped at the vision in front of her. Edward in his jeans and black T-shirt had been hot. Edward in just his jeans was _smoking_ hot. She reached out tentatively and ran her fingertips over the planes of his chest, thrilling at the muscles underneath. It was obvious he worked out, but he didn't have that bulk that some men had. He was lean and strong, and she couldn't imagine anything better. She had to control her sudden urge to pounce on him.

"Shall I?" he asked politely, reaching for the button on her jeans.

She nodded. "Shall I?" she repeated, mimicking his movement.

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," he said, his voice suddenly hoarse as her fingers brushed over his lower abdomen before she grasped the button on his pants.

Bella smiled and looked up at him through her lashes. His arousal was evident, as she could feel the tightness of his jeans across his groin. _Oh, my… Is that a __gun, or__ are you just happy to see me? _She giggled at her sudden, private joke.

He looked down at her and cocked his eyebrow. "Are you laughing at me? You're wounding my ego," he teased.

She shook her head and bit her lip, wriggling her hips and sliding her jeans down.

"Oh, Bella," he breathed, all teasing suddenly disappearing as he skimmed the denim down her legs. She sat on the end of her bed so he could pull the offending garment off.

Edward stared at the vision in front of him, his mouth going dry. Bella was perched on the bed in front of him, a vision of loveliness in her simple, white, serviceable underwear. Cotton had never looked so sexy. _What a great line for a commercial..._

She smiled up at him shyly and swiftly pulled his jeans off, leaving him in only his boxers. She gulped at the erection that was now in front of her. _Am I ready for this?_

He climbed over her as she scooted backward on the bed, finally laying her head on her pillow while Edward pressed his body against hers. She groaned at the sensation. _Oh, __hell, yes__, I'm ready! _She threaded her fingers through his hair again, pulling his mouth to hers. She felt she could spend the rest of her life with Edward's mouth fused somewhere to her body.

Edward braced his arms on either side of her head, not wanting to smother her. He wanted to ensure that she was with him in the present moment and not somewhere in her past. He was surprised when she tugged on his shoulders, pulling him flush with her body.

"Edward," she said softly. "Please…"

He gently eased his weight down onto her, pressing her into her mattress and burying his nose in her hair.

"You're sure?"

Bella stared into his eyes. "Yes, Edward. I've never been more sure of anything," she said resolutely and closed her eyes as she let her passion fully envelope her senses.

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><p><strong>End Notes: Okay, okay… I know… Sorry for stopping there! I know how evil that was, but next chapter, we'll get to be a fly on the wall for Bella and Edward's…quality time! Now, let me know what you thought!<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I know this is horribly late… All I can say is I have had a major case of writer's block that would not go away! This is the result of my long months of Twilight fanfic exile, and I hope you enjoy! Thanks as always to my wonderful pre-reader, EternallyCullen, and my amazing beta, Jenny Cullen. Without them, this would not have gotten accomplished!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Twilight**_** or anything related to it. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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><p>Edward squeezed his eyes shut and allowed his fingertips to trail from Bella's cheek, down over her collarbone to the valley between her breasts. He smiled softly as he heard her breath hitch. Edward opened his eyes to see her gazing up at him, and he very deliberately hooked his index finger under the cup of her bra and pulled the material down, exposing her pink-tipped breast. She gasped as the cool air of the room came into contact with her skin. He continued to hold her gaze as he inserted his finger into his mouth and then slowly circled her nipple<p>

Her areola puckered as the air hitthe wet trail his finger left, and she groaned at the sensual picture he presented. Instinctively, she pushed his head down to her chest, wanting nothing more than his beautiful mouth on her skin.

He flashed her a crooked smile and felt his erection grow even more at her response to him. Nothing was a greater aphrodisiac than a beautiful woman writhing beneath you and wanting you to touch her. He eagerly complied with her wishes and lowered his lips to her delicate skin, swiping his tongue over her sensitive flesh.

"Oh, Edward," she groaned, feeling the pull straight to her groin. She buried her hands in his hair and held him fast to her.

Edward moaned in response, reveling in the sensation of Bella's fingers tugging on his hair. He pulled back slightly and blew his hot breath over her breast, fascinated as he watched her body respond to his stimuli.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered and then paid reverence to her other breast by pulling her bra down and worshiping her with his tongue.

She wriggled against him, instinctively seeking some friction between her thighs. She wanted this moment to last forever, but she also instinctively knew that Edward had awakened some deep part of her psyche that she wouldn't be able to contain until she had found release. He could make love to her later; right now, she wanted – no, needed – him to fuck her senseless.

Edward groaned deep in his throat as Bella pressed herself tightly against his erection. The thin fabric of his boxers was beginning to chafe, and he wanted nothing more than to rip the material away and bury himself in her heat. His lust-fogged mind suddenly came to a screeching halt. _Do I have a condom in my wallet_? he asked himself in a panic. Nothing would ruin the mood more than his having to stop what he was doing and make a run to the nearest drugstore.

Bella looked up at him questioningly. She wondered what had caused his sudden change in mood…and focus. "What?" she asked, still panting heavily.

"Um…" He hesitated, debating on how to broach the subject. On the one hand, he wanted Bella to know that he took her health and safety seriously – above his own selfish, carnal desires – but on the other, he didn't want Bella to think he'd been carrying a condom around with him, just waiting for her to jump into bed with him.

"What?" she pressed, her focus sharpening.

"I-I was just suddenly wondering if I…if I had any…protection. With me…" he stuttered.

Bella's eyes widened, and she threw her hands over her face. "Oh, my God! I was so caught up in the moment, I didn't even think of that!"

Edward jumped up off the bed and grabbed his jeans, tugging his wallet out of the back pocket roughly. Emmett had been teasing him that he was going to stash a couple of condoms in there, in the event Edward needed one, and now, he prayed his brother had actually followed through.

Bella propped herself up on her elbows and watched Edward frantically dig through his pockets. She couldn't suppress the giggle when he pulled his hand out of a pocket and change flew into the air before landing in a shower around him.

He grinned at her. "Sorry. I guess I'm just in a hurry."

She smiled back at him. "I don't know what you're in such a hurry for, Edward. I'm not going anywhere," she teased.

He flipped his wallet open and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the little foil packet. _Thank God. _"Bella, if you were looking at what I'm looking at, you'd be in a hurry, too," he replied, all teasing gone from his voice.

Bella swallowed at the intensity in his expression, and she felt a jolt through her stomach at his words. She wanted to make a witty reply, but her mouth was as suddenly dry as cotton. She nodded dumbly instead.

Edward tossed the small packet onto the mattress beside her before crawling onto the foot of the bed. He had to gain some semblance of control over himself, or he would not only embarrass himself, but look like an idiot in front of Bella. Instead of belying his internal struggle, however, he gave her the crooked smile she loved so much. He sat back on his heels a bit and slowly looked at her, his head cocked to the side.

"What?" she asked, her breathing quickening.

He just smirked at her before lifting her left foot and bringing it to his mouth. Holding her gaze as he planted a soft kiss on her arch, Edward closed his eyes and ran his nose lightly up the inside of her calf. Bella closed her eyes and groaned.

"Edward, don't tease me," she said, her voice strained. She wasn't sure she could take much more of this foreplay; she felt as if she would spontaneously combust at any moment.

He didn't reply, but set her foot back down onto the bed before picking up her right leg and copying his actions. He then leaned forward and ran his tongue up the inside of her right thigh, chuckling at the goose bumps he felt erupt on her skin.

Bella groaned and closed her eyes, giving herself up to the sensations Edward was making her feel. She'd never felt anything this intense, not even with James. She hadn't been ready to be physically intimate with James – and had known it at the time – but she'd wanted him to love her and so had gone along with it when his hands started to wander. But that moment with Edward seemed so right to her…so natural. She wasn't concerned about how she looked or how she sounded. She wasn't worried about focusing solely on his pleasure.

For the first time in her life, she actually felt as if she could be who she truly was.

She smiled to herself at her own revelation. _I guess this is what love feels like,_ she thought as she gazed down at Edward's bronze head between her thighs.

Edward felt her gaze on him, and he looked up, his fingers wrapped around her leg. "What?" he asked softly, continuing to place light kisses up the inside of her thigh.

She shook her head, not able to actually say the words yet.

He grinned at her and held her gaze as he leaned down and swiped his tongue through her folds. Bella threw her head back and felt her toes curl. _Oh, holy hell…_ She heard a deep, guttural groan and then gasped in surprise when she realized it had come from her. Instead of feeling embarrassed, however, she just closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the magic of Edward's mouth.

Edward smirked at her reaction and continued to lap at her center. At the first taste of her, he'd thought he might come unglued, but he'd managed to bring his body back under control with an iron will. He felt that he could live forever on only the nourishment Bella's body provided him. She was everything he'd ever wanted, and he wanted to tie himself to her in every way humanly possible. He drew back suddenly, placing a soft kiss just above her pubic bone before tearing the foil packet open and rolling the condom on quickly.

Bella opened her eyes. They needed no words, but communicated silently with each other. Edward leaned up to press a kiss to her lips, and Bella wrapped her legs around his waist.

"You're sure?" he asked again.

She nodded. "Yes."

He stared down into her brown eyes, trying to convey all of his emotions to her through that one look. "Bella… I love you…so much… And I'm not just saying it because we're here…like this…" he stammered.

Bella's lips stretched into a wide smile, and she placed her palm on his cheek. "I love you, too, Edward. And I want to be with you…"

He grinned, unable to stop himself. His dream was being realized. Bella _loved_ him! She pulled her legs forward a bit, trying to speed things along. She was all for the sappy love proclamations, but her body felt as if it were on fire, and she needed Edward to give her the release she was so desperately craving. Then they could go back to spouting off their feelings for each other.

"Edward, please…" she sighed, trying to pull his body flush with hers.

Edward cupped her cheek and braced his weight on his elbows. Almost as if it had a mind of his own, his body sought the entrance to hers, wanting nothing more than to be physically joined with her. When his tip brushed against her warm wetness, he closed his eyes and groaned deep in his throat. He felt Bella open her legs wider and tighten around his waist. He forced his eyes open and stared down at the beautiful woman underneath him, holding her gaze as he slowly pushed forward and entered her body.

Bella gasped at the intrusion, feeling wonderfully full and complete. This was what she had been longing for… "Oh, Edward," she sighed, running her hands up his arms to his shoulders. Her nails dug into his skin, urging him onward.

Edward pulled back before thrusting forward again slowly, almost overcome by the sensation of Bella's body gripping his, almost as if it was pulling him forward of its own accord. He knew he wouldn't last long, and he was unable to fight his primal urges any longer. He braced himself and began rocking his hips faster, setting a steady rhythm in and out of Bella's body.

He stared down at her, her chestnut hair spread over her pillow, her lips slightly swollen from his kisses, her breasts red from his stubble. He had never felt such emotions for one person in his life, and he never wanted to leave her side. "Bella…" he groaned under his breath.

Bella felt herself beginning to reach her climax, and she allowed herself to focus on every sensation that was running through her body. She closed her eyes and started to ride the wave as it approached.

"God, I love you so much," he whispered as his thrusting became more erratic and frantic.

At his declaration, Bella cried out as her orgasm crashed over her, her senses spinning momentarily into orbit. She heard Edward cry out and felt him tense, his arms tightening on either side of her. She held onto him with her legs, holding him inside her as he experienced his own climax.

After what felt like forever – but she intellectually knew it was only moments – they both relaxed against each other, their limbs and breathing tangled together. Edward rested his forehead on hers, his breathing ragged. Finally, without words, he pulled out of her and fell to his side. He'd just experienced the most intense orgasm of his life, and his muscles felt as if they were made from Play-Doh. He gathered enough reserve energy to quickly dispose of the condom before wrapping his arms around Bella and holding her to his side, tucking her head under his chin. He pulledthe covers up over them both, and they just lay there in each other's embrace, enjoying the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Edward brushed her hair back before planting a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered. He would take care of James, but he didn't voice the thought aloud. He wanted no part of that asshole in their little world at the moment, but he made a mental note to make some calls first thing Monday morning.

Bella sighed, feeling more content than she could remember ever being. She was wrapped in the arms of the man she loved – and who loved her in return – and she could think of nothing else she wanted. "I love you, too," she **whispered before** closing her eyes and drifting off into a dreamless sleep.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Ta-da! Another chapter posted! And I've already gotten half of the next chapter written, so it will be updated soon! I hope you enjoy! As always, a huge thanks to my wonderful beta, Jenny Cullen, and to my lovely pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen! You ladies are fantabulous!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I have no claim to **_**Twilight**_** or the characters. All I own is Matthew. All else belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer, who is kind enough to let us all play with her creation.**

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><p>Bella buried her face in the pillow, trying to escape the muted gray light that, despite its weakness, was forcing its way through the gap in her curtains. She groaned, feeling her muscles protest. As her mind slowly awoke, the previous evening's events came rushing back to her, and a smile spread across her face. She stretched lithely and ran the sole of her right foot up Edward's calf. Blinking the remaining sleep from her eyes, she turned over to face him.<p>

_Edward_.

Her very own personal knight in shining armor.

_Well, _she thought to herself, _it _is_ the twenty-first century. So, I guess I should call him my knight in a shining Volvo..._

Edward had been watching Bella sleep and grinned at the giggle that escaped her lips. He could not recall ever seeing Bella in such a lighthearted mood, and the knowledge that he had been an integral part of her happiness caused his spirits to soar even higher. "Good morning," he said softly, reaching a hand up to brush a lock of hair behind her ear.

Bella felt the familiar blush spread across her face, but she merely smiled. "Good morning."

He returned her smile softly, stroking his fingers down her rose-stained cheek. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good. You?" Bella kept looking away from his face. She knew she had no reason to be embarrassed, but she could hardly bring herself to gaze into his clear green eyes. The face that was now only inches from hers was so beautiful that it made her chest ache; she still could not believe this god-like man was now hers. As she answered his question, she realized with a jolt that she had actually had a full night of sleep without being woken multiple times, either by nightmares or her worry for Matt. When he was a baby, every night, she had risen from her bed hourly to check on him, as he had been so ill. Then, when she would doze off, she would experience terrible nightmares of losing Matthew – sometimes to death, often to James. During the day, when she wasn't consumed with her son's health problems, she'd nursed a silent terror that James would appear out of nowhere and kidnap him, leaving her with a gaping hole in her chest that would never heal.

Edward placed a chaste kiss on her lips and wound his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Never slept better."

"I'm glad you stayed," she whispered, gazing at his lips. Those perfect, soft, warm lips...

Tucking her head under his chin, he kissed the top of her head. "What time do you need to pick Matt up?"

Suddenly, Bella's heart seemed to drop into her stomach. With his mentioning of her son, Edward had swiftly jerked her out of her happy place and back into reality. Matt's name brought back the horror she was facing with James and his ridiculous claim on her son.

Edward noticed the shifting emotion in her eyes. "Bella, it'll be all right. You have nothing to worry about."

She turned away and climbed swiftly out of the bed, pushing her arms through the sleeves of her robe. She knotted the sash a little harder than necessary and turned to face him. "I can't help it, Edward. He's my life...my soul. I can't lose him." Her voice broke, and she hastily swiped at the tears that had started to fall.

Jumping out of the bed, Edward slid his jeans on quickly and pulled Bella back into his arms, wrapping them snugly around her. "You are _not_ going to lose him, Bella. I won't let it happen," he said firmly. "Now, let's go get some breakfast, and I'm going to make a few calls."

xXx

"What the hell do you mean he has a case? He hasn't been around once since he found out Bella was pregnant, and he sure as hell hasn't helped her support Matt! She's never gotten one damn dime from that bastard!" Charlie yelled into the phone receiver as he waved Bella into his office at the police station.

Bella sat down in a chair facing his desk and stared at him silently as he frowned at whatever he was hearing on the other end.

"Of course she tried to find him!" he shouted, slamming his fist down on the desk and making Bella jump. "The child support office has been trying to find him for six years!"

He listened again. "Evan, I know you're a top-notch attorney. That's why I called you... Sure, okay, we'll see you at three." He hung up the phone and ran his hands through his thinning hair.

"What's going on?" Bella asked apprehensively. She was praying the purple hue of Charlie's face would disappear quickly now that he was off of the phone. She not only worried about her son's health, but Charlie's dietary habits coupled with his genetic disposition for high blood pressure was a constant source of apprehension for her, as well. Her second greatest fear – only behind something happening to Matt – was that her father would suffer a heart attack or stroke. She tried to keep her tone soothing, not wanting to add to his stress level.

Charlie picked up a pack of stapled papers and then threw them back down on his desk. "Nothing. Don't worry yourself about it, Bells."

She scowled at him. "Dad…"

He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "We're meeting with Evan Bradshaw at three today to go over the custody suit. Can you make it?"

An icy heaviness settled in her stomach. "Of course. The office is closed the rest of the afternoon because Dr. Cullen had to go to some training seminar. Does he think James could win?" Her voice sounded small and thin to her ears.

Charlie looked up and met her eyes. "He says that if James can prove he's Matt's biological father, then there's a good chance he could be granted at least visitation."

"No," Bella replied firmly.

"Well, try not to worry about it just yet. We're gonna fight this, Bella."

"Evan Bradshaw is the priciest lawyer in Forks," Bella said suddenly.

Charlie shrugged. "He's also the best. I've seen him in criminal trials. The man's like a shark after blood. He's the one we need for this."

"But I can't afford that."

Looking back down at his desk, Charlie started to shuffle papers from one side to another. "Don't worry about that."

Bella sighed heavily. "Dad…"

Charlie cut her off. "Bella, I said don't worry about it. I know Evan; I've been able to help him out in the past, and now he wants to do the same for me. There has to be some perks to being the chief in this town," he added, trying to induce a smile from her.

She grinned slightly and sighed. "Yeah. And I don't have a choice. I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure James never gets his hands on Matt."

The phone rang, and Bella excused herself to allow her father some privacy. Sitting down in one of the roughly covered chairs that were connected to each other, she pulled her phone out of her purse and sent a text message to Edward.

_Hey, are you busy?_

She waited for a few moments before her phone buzzed.

_Just studying for a pharmacology test. What's up?_

Bella's hands were shaking as she typed out her reply.

_I'm at the station with Dad. We're meeting with the lawyer today at three._

_Who's the attorney?_

_Evan Bradshaw._

_Good. He's the best there is. My dad's a friend of his. Bella, please don't take this the wrong way, but do you need any money for him?_

Bella shook her head in slight exasperation, but for once, she did not feel insulted. What she felt was...grateful.

_I appreciate the offer, but I don't think so. Dad said he worked it out._

_Do you want me to come with you?_

_I don't want to interrupt your studying. I know I've kept you from your work lately._

She blushed, remembering their recent nocturnal activities. Her heart turned over in her chest when she read his reply.

_You're more important. If you need me, just say the word, and I'll be there beside you._

Bella wasn't sure what she should do. The selfish part of her wanted nothing more than for Edward to be sitting beside her, holding her hand. But her logical side told her that she would be fine without him – to grow up and put her big girl panties on.

Her emotions won out.

_Only if you promise I won't make you fail your test._

His answer was instantaneous.

_I'll see you at three. I love __you._

Bella smiled widely, unable to stop herself. Edward Cullen loved her. _Her_. She felt as if she had been magically transported to some parallel universe, and she had no desire to leave it.

_I love you, too, _she typed back, hitting "send" before she chickened out. Charlie suddenly walked out of his office, and she stood quickly, tucking her phone into her purse.

"Ready?" he asked her gruffly. She nodded, and he spoke to his deputy, who was playing Solitaire on the computer. "Mark, I'll be out the rest of the day. Call me if you need me."

Deputy Mark nodded and waved to them. Bella followed Charlie out of the door and walked to her truck. She followed him slowly through the streets of Forks, her mind a million miles away. When she looked up, they were stopped in front of a small house that had been converted to the law offices of Evan Bradshaw. She slid out of her truck and slammed the door shut, wincing at the loud noise of the protesting metal. Hearing the silky purr of an expensive engine pulling up, she turned and stared as Edward gracefully stepped out of his Volvo, looking as if he were shooting a commercial for a luxury car.

"Bella," he said in greeting before turning to her father. "Chief Swan." He stuck his hand out to shake Charlie's.

Charlie grimaced. "Hi, Edward." He opened the door and led them into a comfortably furnished entryway.

"Hello, Chief Swan," greeted a small woman sitting behind a large, oak desk. "Evan will be just a moment. If you will all have a seat"—she gestured to two couches facing each other in front of a dark fireplace—"I'll let him know you're here."

They silently filed into the waiting area, Charlie sitting on one sofa and Bella and Edward on the other. Charlie picked up a fashion magazine and idly flipped through it; Bella fought the urge to giggle hysterically. Obviously, her father wasn't paying any attention to the pages in front of him. Edward slid his arm around her shoulders, and she relaxed into his side, the warmth from his body soothing her ragged nerves. They'd only been sitting for a few minutes when a middle-aged man greeted them.

Bella had seen Evan Bradshaw in town before, but today, she truly appreciated how..._lawyer-y_ he looked. He was dressed in tailored pants and loafers, his button-down shirt was loosened at the neck, and the sleeves were rolled up. His hair looked freshly styled, and he flashed them a dazzling white smile.

"Charlie! It's good to see you again. This must be your daughter Isabella?" He held out his hand to them.

"Just Bella," she automatically corrected, gripping his fingers in a fleeting handshake. "This is a friend of mine – Edward Cullen. I hope you don't mind if he joins us."

Evan shook his head and led them toward his office. "Not as long as you don't mind. Edward, tell your father I'm ready for a golf rematch any time he's ready! Now, would any of you like something to drink? Water, soda, coffee?"

They declined his offer and settled into the plush leather seats in his office.

"Now, Bella," he began, picking up a file folder. "Your dad sent over a copy of the motion your son's father filed in ClallamCounty Circuit Court. It appears that he's seeking full custody of Matthew Swan."

"Does that mean he's _here_...in _Forks_?" she gasped. If James was here, she couldn't let Matt out of the sight of any of the few people she trusted implicitly.

He shook his head. "Not necessarily. His attorney could have filed the motion from another county in the state of Washington. Now, Bella, have you had any contact from James Taylor since your son was born?"

She shook her head. "Nothing."

Evan sighed and fidgeted slightly in his chair. "I hate to ask you this, but I have to. Are you positive that James Taylor is the father of your son? Is there any possibility his father could be someone else?"

Bella bristled. "Of course he is. I'm sure of that."

"I'm sorry if I offended you, but I had to ask. Did he know you were expecting?"

Feeling her face bloom scarlet at the direction the discussion had abruptly taken – in the presence of her father and Edward, no less – she nodded. "Yes."

"Of course that bastard knew," Charlie said loudly. "That's why he ran out of town with his tail between his legs!"

"Bella," Evan said patiently, firmly ignoring Charlie, "I know this is uncomfortable for you, but in order for me to make sure you win this case, I have to know everything. Please start from the beginning."

Edward leaned forward in his seat a bit. His curiosity had burned from the beginning about Matt's father, but he'd never asked Bella directly, as he knew it hurt her to relive her past.

"Um...okay," Bella said, her voice shaking. "Well, I met James one night when I went out with some friends from school."

"Where did you meet?" Evan asked, a legal pad in front of him.

"At the McDonald's one Friday night. He was just hanging around outside with a couple of his friends – I think their names were Victoria and Laurent – and he started flirting with me. He asked for my number, and I gave it to him." Bella hung her head, ashamed of how she had been duped. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

"So, he called you?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He asked me out for the next night. I accepted. We went to Port Angeles and saw a movie, and then he took me home. But he asked if he could see me after school on Monday."

Evan continued to write notes. "Was he in school?"

"No, he'd dropped out the year before from a school near Olympia. He'd just moved to Forks...said he was looking for work."

"Charlie, did you meet him?"

Charlie shifted in his seat. "Yeah, I met him a couple of times because I insisted he come in and meet me face to face before taking my daughter out."

"And what was your reaction to him?"

He scowled. "He was a punk. I didn't like him then, and I hated him later. He wasn't good enough for my Bella, but I knew if I told her she couldn't go out with him, then she'd just do it behind my back. I know how teenagers work. I thought I was doing the right thing," he muttered.

Bella reached over and patted his hand. "I'm sorry, Dad."

Evan paused and then resumed his questioning. "So, what happened after he met your father?"

"We just started hanging out. He had his own apartment, and we spent most afternoons there." Bella felt her face flame. It was mortifying enough to relive all of her transgressions aloud in front of her attorney; it was made even worse by having her father present.

Charlie shifted uncomfortably in his chair and cleared his throat. Obviously, he wasn't thrilled about their little trip down memory lane any more than she was.

"Was that where you two would have sex?" Evan asked.

Bella blanched. "Uh...what?"

Edward reached over and squeezed her hand in encouragement. "Bella, it's okay. He's here to help."

Evan set his pen down on the desk. "Bella, I'm very sorry, and I know how difficult this is for you. Please know that I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to. But I need to know the whole story, from beginning to end, so that if he comes back with a different version, we'll be able to discredit him. And anything we can do to show he left you in a precarious situation with a newborn and never attempted to contact you or his son will only be to our advantage."

She nodded. "I understand. Um, yes. That's where we...had sex." She reached up and covered her eyes with her free hand. She would never be able to look at her father again.

Evan resumed his note taking. "And had you ever had sex with anyone else?"

"No!" she answered a bit too loudly. "Uh, no. I hadn't." She attempted to modulate her voice.

"Well, that's something," Charlie muttered.

Bella pretended that she hadn't heard him. She knew this was probably worse for him than it even was for her.

The lawyer smiled slightly. "I'm sorry, Charlie."

A grunt was his only reply.

"So, Bella, what happened after that? When did you discover you were expecting?"

"Two months after we started dating. I realized that I was late, so I took a home pregnancy test one day after school. It was positive."

"And when did you tell James that you were pregnant?" Evan asked, his hand still moving smoothly across the paper.

Bella didn't answer at first. She was suddenly back in the small bathroom at her father's house, staring at the little white plastic stick that had told her her entire life was about to change. "Th-That afternoon. I took it over to James's apartment and showed him."

"What was his response? Did he break up with you? Tell you to have an abortion? Ask you to marry him?"

She shook her head. "He held me and told me not to worry, that he was going to take care of me and the baby. And I believed him," she said with a small laugh. "God, I was so stupid!"

Edward shook his head. "Bella, you're not to blame here. You were sixteen and pregnant and scared. He told you what you wanted to hear." He was keeping his anger under control by a thin thread by mentally imagining Emmett using James's head as a football during kicking practice.

"Was he with you when you told your father?"

Bella laughed again, the sound hollow. "No. I wanted him to be there. I told him how much I needed him, but he told me that things would go better if he wasn't there. At the time, I thought he just didn't want to risk getting shot—" she glanced over at Charlie "—but later, I realized that he had no intention of sticking by me. When Dad went over to his apartment that night, James was gone. He used the time I was explaining things to my dad to pack up and head out of town." She quickly swiped at her eyes, not wanting the tears to fall. She'd promised herself a long time before that she had shed her last tear over James Taylor.

Edward squeezed her hand again, wanting nothing more than to hold her tightly and keep the world from causing her any more pain.

Evan looked up from his notes. "Did he leave any forwarding address? Try to contact you later?"

Shaking her head, Bella spoke. "No. Nothing. I talked to his landlord, and he said that James just moved out late one night without paying his rent for the month. I tried looking for his friends, but they were gone, too. I guess he changed his phone number, because eventually, the cell phone number I had for him was answered by someone who said they had just set up that phone account."

"And you filed for child support through the county attorney's office?" he asked.

"Yes, a month after Matt was born. I lived with Dad for almost two years more while I finished school, but then when I turned eighteen, I moved into an apartment on Section Eight. Dad told me that we could stay as long as we needed to, but I didn't feel like it was fair to him. So, I got Matt on Medicaid...and I did apply for food stamps." She hung her head.

Charlie shifted in his seat. "Bells, I told you then, I didn't mind—"

Evan interrupted him. "Bella, you have no reason to be embarrassed. You took a bad situation and did what you had to do. I commend you for taking responsibility for your son. You certainly had to grow up a lot in a short amount of time."

"I just did what I had to do," Bella muttered, uncomfortable under his praise. She looked over at Edward and was confused at the large smile on his face.

"And the child support office was unable to locate him?"

She nodded again. "Yes. Dad even tried with all of his police contacts, but it was like he'd fallen off the face of the earth. I finally just gave up trying to find him. When Matt was a baby, I hoped he would come back and want to be a dad to him. But eventually, I accepted that he wasn't coming, and later, I realized that it was in Matt's best interest to not have anything to do with his father. He certainly didn't care about his son," she added bitterly.

"Evan," Edward asked, "why is he back now? What's led him to file for custody of a son that he's never laid eyes on or had anything to do with?"

He looked up at Edward, a grim expression on his face. "I'm getting to that, but there, Edward, is the crux of the matter and what is going to cause us the biggest problem."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews left for me on the last chapter! As a token of my appreciation, here is the next chapter for you! I hope you enjoy! Many thanks, as always, to my wonderful beta, Jenny Cullen, for her tireless work of catching all the things I miss and to my lovely pre-reader and ficwife, EternallyCullen. Love ya, girl!**

**Disclaimer: All things **_**Twilight**_** belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just playing in her sandbox.**

* * *

><p>A heavy silence filled the room as they all looked at each other, unable to give a voice to their thoughts. After a few moments, however, Bella cleared her throat and spoke.<p>

"What do you mean, 'the crux of the matter'?"

Evan sighed and pulled a packet of stapled papers out of a manila file folder. "Edward, you asked why James was suddenly seeking full custody of Matthew. Well, it's because he has another child now."

Bella shrugged. "So? Did he abandon that one, too?" she asked, her voice laced with bitterness.

"No, he didn't. He's now married and has a son who is just over eighteen months old. Bella, this little boy has cancer. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Apparently, it's one of the most common cancers diagnosed in young children."

Edward leaned back in his chair, his breath leaving his lungs in a rush. "You've got to be kidding me," he said quietly.

Evan shook his head. "I'm not."

"I don't understand, Edward," Bella said. "Did I miss something?"

Edward looked directly at Evan Bradshaw as he spoke. "He wants full custody of Matt so he can use him as a bone marrow donor for his new son, doesn't he?"

The attorney nodded his head. "Yes. His attorney has filed a motion seeking full custody on an emergency medical contingency, and that is what's going to be the problem. If he's granted even joint custody, then he'll have access to your son's medical records and will have to be involved in all of his medical decisions. Then, if you refuse to allow your son to be tested as a donor for his son, he could tie you up in court for years, not to mention keeping Matthew from getting the medical care he needs just to spite you."

Bella held her hands up. "Wait! Do you mean to tell me a judge could actually make me have to consult with his no-good, lousy…_sperm donor_…before I could even take him to the doctor?!" she spluttered. "Even though he hasn't wanted him his entire life and now only wants him as a damn lab rat?!" Her chest was heaving, and she felt as if her world had just been turned topsy-turvy.

"Think about it, Bella. How do we look to an impartial judge by trying to deny James access to his biological son, when all he's trying to do is save the life of an innocent child? We end up looking like the bad guys."

"But that's all he wants him for! Matt would _not_ be taken care of! He'd be the unwanted kid… They'd mistreat him! He wouldn't know a thing about taking care of Matt!" Tears were beginning to stream down her face, and she jumped out of the chair and started to pace. Unbidden, images of Matt suffering a diabetic seizure and dying while in James's care flooded her mind.

Charlie sat stonily, his lips pressed tightly together. "So, what do we do to stop this?"

Evan flipped through a couple of pages. "I think his lawyer filed for full custody knowing that wouldn't be granted and that they then could compromise with joint custody under the condition that Matt be tested to be a bone marrow donor. Or they might offer to drop the entire custody suit if the judge orders the transplant to go through. It's their way of trying to stack the deck, so to say. Any way it goes, they win."

"Matt can't go through something like that. His health is too fragile; we're just now getting his blood sugars under some kind of control! My son's been through so much already! I can't imagine putting him through something like this that isn't necessary for his health!" she shouted.

Edward stood and quickly walked over to her, taking her in his arms. "Shh, Bella. I know this is very emotional, but let's think about this rationally," he said, ignoring her glare.

"Bella," Evan said, "I'll do whatever you want me to do, but right now, I want you to take this information with you and think on it a couple of days. The court date is set for next Tuesday. We need to consider all aspects."

She turned to him. "You think we'll lose?"

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I think there is a very probable chance the judge will at least grant James a bone marrow screening to determine if Matthew is a match as a donor. If he is...well, then, he could very well give James joint custody, or at the very least, order the transplant to take place if Matthew's a match. He's going to look at what's in the best interest of both Matthew _and_ his half-brother, and I want you to think that all through and be prepared in case it happens. Also, I want you to consider the idea of filing to quash the motion for custody, but granting the test to see if your son is a viable candidate. At least that way, you still retain control of his regular healthcare. But basically, you might be holding this other child's life in your hands."

She scowled, wanting nothing more than to block out that thought. Could she really live with herself if something bad happened to this other child? She mentally shook her head, determined to focus on what was best for _her_ son.

"What if Matt's doctor writes a statement that he's medically contraindicated from donating bone marrow?" Edward asked.

Pulling his legal pad back in front of him, Evan wrote a few notes. "It certainly wouldn't hurt. With Matthew's health history, it could definitely be putting him at risk to undergo such a procedure. Who's his doctor?"

"Dad," Edward answered immediately. "He had Dr. Ferguson, but we fired him a few months ago."

"Will Carlisle swear under oath that Matthew's too ill to be a donor?" Evan asked.

Edward nodded. "If he believes it would be too risky, he will."

Evan cleared his throat. "Well… What's the relationship status between the two of you?" he asked, pointing between both Edward and Bella.

Bella stared at him for a few moments. "We're friends."

"We're involved romantically," Edward clarified, unable to wipe the grin from his face, regardless of the grim circumstances.

Charlie rolled his eyes.

"That might be another issue, then. James's attorney could argue that Carlisle only swore to such a statement because he's your father…and Bella's employer."

She frowned. "That's ridiculous! Dr. Cullen would never—"

Evan interrupted her. "We all know that, but believe me, it _is_ something the opposing attorney will bring up. Has he seen any other doctors?"

"Yes. He saw Dr. Taplin at Children's Hospital in Seattle," Edward said.

He wrote some more on his legal pad. "Okay. We can subpoena him if we need to, but I'd rather try to talk with him first. If he won't agree that Matt's too fragile to undergo that type of procedure, we certainly don't want to call him to the stand."

Bella was twisting her fingers. "Will this be like a trial? With a jury?" She felt stupid for asking, but she knew if she didn't know what to expect, her mind would create a much more horrible scenario.

"No, it'll just be the judge. We'll present our case, and James's attorney will present his. Then the judge will make a ruling."

She nodded. She felt numb all over, as if she were stuck in her own personal purgatory.

Charlie stood and stretched. "We'll talk all this over and let you know. Thanks for everything, Evan." They shook hands, and Bella and Edward followed him out of the office to stand in the light mist that was now falling.

Bella wrapped her arms tightly around her torso. She was trying to not fall apart in the middle of the parking lot. "Dad, thanks for coming with me. You too, Edward."

"Why don't you come home with me, Bella?" Edward asked her, his arm around her shoulders. "We can talk to Dad about what's going on and see what he says."

She nodded and climbed awkwardly into Edward's car. At the back of her mind, she was thinking that she wasn't dressed appropriately to meet Edward's family, but she couldn't bring herself to care enough. All she could picture was her son being taken from her to be sent to live with someone he had never met and who had no clue what specialized care he needed. The thought terrified her.

Then, her mind unwittingly went to this other child, whom she had never met. Only eighteen months old…and he'd already been handed a death sentence. She didn't want to think about him, but her mind pulled up an image of Matt when he was that age and so ill. She remembered the countless nights that she'd sat beside his crib as he slept, unsure if he would live to see another day. She wondered if this child's mother did the same thing. If she'd known someone was alive that could possibly save his life, wouldn't she have done whatever she could to make that come to fruition?

_Damn it, damn it, damn it! Stop it, Bella! Don't even think about this kid! _Bella scolded herself, but the door had been opened. She wondered what this little boy looked like, and she knew that if she actually saw him, it would make him too real to ignore.

_James is the enemy! _she reminded herself.

_Yes, _James_ is. Not this innocent child…_

_I can't put Matthew through something like this!_

_But what if it's not that bad? Matt's always been so sick, and he's such a caring little boy. It may not be a big deal to him. Don't you think he'd __want to__ help someone else if he had the chance?_

_He's only __six. He__ can't make a decision like that!_

_But he's always been like you – more grown up than he should be for his age. Why don't you just ask him what he wants to do?_

Bella bit her lip and stared out the window at the greenery speeding past as she waged the argument in her mind. The truth was, she didn't want to tell Matt any of this. She'd been unable to shield him from many painful things in his young life – things no child should ever have to experience – and she wanted nothing more than to keep this problem away from him.

_Give him some credit. He's a smart kid. And if by some chance James _is_ allowed to take him at times, he needs to have some time to get used to the idea._

"What're you thinking about so hard?" Edward asked her, slipping his fingers through hers and squeezing gently.

She sighed and bit her lip again. "This other kid, if you want the truth. What should I do, Edward? You heard Evan. If I fight this tooth and nail, then I might be signing this child's death certificate. How could I live with myself?"

He made a noncommittal sound and turned onto a gravel lane that wound through the woods. "Let's talk with Dad and see what he says. Don't make a decision yet, especially an emotional one. Let's just pull all the facts together, both about Matt's ability to be a donor and this other child's prognosis."

Nodding, Bella looked over at him and smiled. "Thank you for being here with me, Edward. I've never been one to depend on anyone else, but I honestly don't know how I would get through this alone." She stared down at her feet in embarrassment, unable to look into his eyes as she spilled her guts to him.

"You're welcome," he said quietly, stopping in front of a large white house that sat in a small clearing. "I'm glad you finally let me in."

She let out a small laugh. "I'm working on my Lone Ranger syndrome."

Edward laughed and opened her door, helping her out of the car. "Lone Ranger syndrome. I like that!"

Bella grinned and looked up at the house, coming to a sudden stop. "Is your entire family here?" Worry clouded her voice.

He slid his arm around her waist and propelled her forward. "No, just my mom and dad. You don't get the pleasure of meeting my brothers just yet," he added with a smile. He laughed when he heard her sigh of relief. "Don't worry. They're gonna love you."

_I_ _hope so,_ she thought. Dr. Cullen was always kind to her, but she was unsure how he would feel about someone like her dating his son. Her stomach churned with nerves, and she walked alongside Edward woodenly.

When she looked up at the porch, she saw Dr. Cullen standing in front of the large door, a petite brunette beside him. The woman – who she could only assume to be Edward's mother – was smiling at her, clouds of caramel-colored hair framing her heart-shaped face.

"Bella," she said in welcome, her hand outstretched, "it's so wonderful to finally meet you. Edward has told us so many wonderful things about you! I'm his mother, Esme. I know that you already know my husband." She smiled again at Bella.

Bella couldn't help but smile back at her, her nervousness diminishing at the warm welcome. "Mrs. Cullen, it's nice to finally meet you, too." She shook hands with Edward's motherand then reached out to shake Dr. Cullen's hand. "Dr. Cullen," she said in greeting.

He shook his head. "Bella, please, call us Carlisle and Esme. You'll find we're not very formal here at home," he said with a smile.

Nodding in agreement, Bella followed them into the house and was in awe at both the simple elegance and grandeur of the place. She was no architect, but she was sure several walls had been removed to create the huge great room that now faced her and was done in varying shades of a cream pallet. There was a shiny black grand piano on a raised platform in one corner, and the entire back wall was made of glass. The view looked out over the backyard, which was landscaped with natural elements, such as wood and stone, before it ended in the thick forest that stretched for miles.

"Your home is beautiful," she said truthfully. She knew her eyes must be wide, but she couldn't stop herself from staring around her. She'd only ever seen houses like this in magazine spreads.

"Thank you," Esme said, the delight evident in her voice. "I'm so glad you like it. Please, make yourself at home. Would you like something to drink?"

Edward led her over to one of the pale slipcovered couches, and she settled beside him. "Water would be wonderful, if it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all," Esme said as she flitted out of the room.

Carlisle sat on the couch opposite them and leaned forward, his forearms on his knees. "Now, Edward, your message was somewhat vague. Please fill us in on what's happened today, and then let me know how I can help."

Bella began to relax, her earlier anxiety of meeting Edward's parents fading. She'd been afraid they wouldn't approve of her – that they would judge her for her past – but they seemed thrilled that she was in their home, and she could see nothing that would contradict that. However, her adrenaline was crashing from her earlier stress, and she found she was content to just sit on that sofa beside Edward, his body heat soothing her tense muscles. She gratefully accepted a crystal goblet of water from Esme, and she sipped on it as Edward and his father discussed her life.

Edward quickly gave his parents a rundown of what had occurred in the lawyer's office earlier that day. "So, obviously, we have some major concerns about what's going to happen," he finished by saying. "Not only about James gaining custody of Matthew, but also how these medical procedures will affect him, health-wise. Dad, what can you tell us about this form of leukemia?"

"Well, it's the most common form of cancer in children, but it also has a good prognosis, usually dependent on a bone marrow transplant. Much better than twenty years ago. Normally, it's treated with chemotherapy, followed by a transplant. Has this child already undergone chemotherapy?"

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. The court papers didn't say; all they said was that his son had this form of cancer, and they were filing for custody based on an emergency medical contingency."

Carlisle leaned forward a bit. "And what are your thoughts on it, Bella? Have you considered having your son tested?"

She stared at him for a moment. "No! Of course not! Can he even be considered a candidate with his medical history?"

"May I ask you a question first, before I answer that?" he asked politely.

Bella nodded in agreement.

Carlisle sighed. "If this were someone else – someone not attached to your ex-boyfriend – would you at least consider the possibility of allowing Matthew to be screened as a donor?"

She stared at him in silence.

"What are you getting at, Dad?" Edward asked quietly.

He gave them a small smile. "What I want you to think about is if your immediate abhorrence of the idea is related to subjecting Matthew to further medical procedures…or if it's because this has been requested through the court system by his absentee father."

Bella tried not to glare at him in response; she didn't trust her voice in that moment.

"And how does that make a difference?" Edward asked.

"From my perspective, it's much easier to see all options, whereas you're looking at it through your emotions. I'll give you my medical opinion in a moment, but I would like for you to ensure that your decision is what's best for Matthew and not just a way to strike back at his father."

Seething, Bella replied, "And how could giving his father the right to suddenly be involved in his medical decisions be what's best for him? James doesn't know a thing about his history."

Carlisle smiled serenely at her. "True. _That_ might not be in his best interest, but this is also his half-brother we're discussing. His half-brother who is dying of leukemia. Wouldn't you like to be able to give Matthew the choice when he's older of whether or not he'd like to become acquainted with his sibling?"

"When he's old enough, yes, I'll let him make that decision," Bella answered, her teeth gritted.

"But how can he do that if this young child dies before Matthew reaches that age? And how do you think he'll feel if and when he discovers that he could have saved his brother's life, but he wasn't allowed to?"

Bella stood up and paced back and forth in front of the glass wall. She had _not_ expected this. She'd thought they were coming to speak to Dr. Cullen about how this idea was horrible for her son…not the moral ramifications. Finally, she spoke. "What's involved in the screening process?"

"It's a simple blood test. They'll draw some blood and crossmatch it with his brother's. If that matches, they do further testing, but if it doesn't match, then that's the end of it."

She stared out of the windows, watching as twilight descended. Was the fact that she was so against allowing this to happen really just her way of lashing out at James for deserting her as a pregnant teen? Once the dust settled, if this child succumbed to the leukemia, would she be able to live with herself if she blocked the motion and Matt wasn't tested? She looked up at the sky, hoping to find the answers she needed there, but knowing she could only look within herself.

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><p><strong>End Notes: For those of you who are not aware, September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month! So please find some way to support the children and their families that are fighting this horrible disease. No child should even know what cancer is! For an inspiring story, search for Thumbs Up For Lane or Lane Goodwin. He was a young boy in my community who came to worldwide attention last year as he fought this "monster." His courage and attitude will certainly put all of your own problems into a much better perspective!<strong>


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is still reading and reviewing! We are on the home stretch with this story now, as we are drawing to the close! A huge thanks, as always, to my wonderful beta, Jenrar, aka Jenny Cullen, and to my lovely ficwife, EternallyCullen, for all of their support, and most importantly, their friendship! Love you, ladies!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to **_**Twilight**_**. It all belongs to the lovely Stephenie Meyer. I am just playing in her sandbox…**

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><p>Bella stared up at her bedroom ceiling, watching as shadows danced around from the storm outside. When she first came to Forks, she'd hated the rain. She'd hated everything about it: the cold, the wet, the greenness of it all… She had been accustomed to the continual sunshine in Phoenix, the brown of the dry dirt and the rock formations in the distance, and the quiet that surrounded the Valley of the Sun, broken by the frequent heavy traffic and car horns. Her first few nights at her father's house, she had tossed and turned, unable to fall sleep because of the different noises that plagued her: the wind, the rain drumming on the roof and clinking against the glass in the window.<p>

Now, she enjoyed the rain; to her, it was soothing and comforting. She found peace in watching the tiny rivulets that ran down the window and hearing the _pat-pat-pat_ thrumming steadily above her. She thought back on how her life had changed since she'd made the decision to move to Forks to live with her father, and she wondered how her life would be different if she hadstayed in Phoenix and never moved to Forks permanently.

Of course, she wouldn't have Matt in her life. Sure, she would've gone to college – possibly be getting ready to graduate – and would've had a much easier life. She probably would've had a dependable car and an apartment that wasn't subsidized by the government, but she wouldn't have her son. He would never have been born and wouldn't have known what it was like to struggle on a daily basis. But she knew in her heart that if she were given the chance to change things, she wouldn't do it. She couldn't imagine not having Matthew.

Bella turned over onto her side and glanced at her alarm clock: _3:43__ a.m._ She groaned under her breath and flopped onto her back. She'd been trying to fall asleep all night without success. She finally gave up and slipped out of bed, tiptoed into Matt's bedroom, and sat down silently in the chair beside his bed. She stared at him for a long time, watching as his small chest rose and fell with his steady breathing. Dropping her head into her hands, she ran her fingers through her hair, wondering what she should do.

Carlisle had opened Pandora's Box, and she could not close it back – not without leaving the thought of this other child out in the open. After he had wreaked havoc with her emotions by forcing her to face the possible ramifications of her actions, he'd informed her that Matt was unable to be a bone marrow donor to his half-sibling because of his diabetes. When he had first told her, she'd been extremely angry that he had dragged her through that emotional upheaval to just turn around and tell her Matthew was contraindicated from being a donor, so it was a moot point. He'd explained to her that Type I diabetics were unable to donate bone marrow, even to a sibling, so he would testify on Matt's behalf, and he had told her that Dr. Taplin would have no problem with offering a second opinion. He'd told her that any physician would say the same thing, so there was no way the judge could force her to offer Matt up as a donor.

She'd had Edward bring her home soon afterwards and had sent him home quickly, saying that she needed to be alone. He'd kissed her on the forehead and nodded, leaving her and Matt to their nightly routine alone. But she hadn't been able to sleep. She knew she should have felt relieved that Matt wouldn't be subjected to further medical testing, but she was unable to reconcile the emotions she was now experiencing. When she was honest with herself, she was worried about this other child.

She sighed and rubbed her face. If only Carlisle hadn't forced her to examine all possibilities… If only she hadn't given this child his own identity as Matthew's brother… If only she had never known the agony of watching your child succumbing to a disease that, no matter how hard you fought it, the more it stole… If only she had not empathized with this other mother, knowing she was feeling the same terror Bella herself had felt since Matt had been born… If only…

xXx

"Wow, Bells. You look…awful," Jacob said as soon as she'd opened her door to him, a pizza box balanced on his left arm.

She scowled at him and stepped back, allowing him to enter the living room. "Thanks so much, Jake."

"Sorry," he said with a grin, his huge frame overpowering the small room. "But you look like you haven't slept for a month."

"It feels that way," she grumbled. "Matt! Jake's here!"

Matthew came pelting out of his bedroom and flung himself at his surrogate uncle. "Uncle Jake! What movie did you bring?" he asked excitedly.

Jake held up a DVD case. "_Iron Man 3_."

Matt jumped up in the air. "Yay! I've been wanting to see it!"

Jake laughed and ruffled Matt's hair, hugging him to his side. "I knew you had been."

Bella smiled and took the pizza box from Jake, setting it on the coffee table. "Matt, can you go get some plates?" she asked as she headed into the kitchen for glasses. "What do you want to drink, Jake?"

He squatted down in front of the television and put the disc in the DVD player. "Whatever you've got, Bells." He took the plates from Matt and opened the pizza box, putting a slice on each plate.

Bella carried the three glasses of Kool-Aid into the living room and settled down onto the couch. "How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing. It's my treat tonight." He took a huge bite of pizza.

She glared at him and crossed her arms. Matt paid no attention and sat between the two of them on the couch, his plate in his lap.

Jake held his hands up in a mock surrender. "Bells, seriously. It was my idea to have a pizza and movie night, and it's not a big deal. Please… Just let me do this. I feel like I don't do enough for you guys, and I don't get to see you very much anymore."

Bella pressed her lips together for a moment, then nodded in acquiescence. "All right… Thank you."

He grinned widely at her. "You're welcome. So, Matt, you ready to watch Iron Man kick some butt?"

He giggled. "Yep!"

They settled back into the couch to watch the movie. Matt yawned often as the movie progressed, but he managed to stay awake until the end. By the time the credits rolled, however, he was sound asleep. Jake lifted him easily and carried him into his bedroom, laying him gently in his bed, and Bella tucked him in.

"Thanks for a nice night," she said quietly after she had shut Matt's bedroom door.

"You're welcome," he replied. He pursed his lips for a moment before speaking again. "So, what's going on with the custody suit, if you don't mind me asking?"

She shook her head. "I don't mind, but I'm surprised Charlie hasn't filled Billy in on everything already," she said with a rueful chuckle.

Jake smiled. "Well, if he has, Dad hasn't shared it with me."

Bella sat back down on the sofa and rubbed her face. "Well, James is seeking custody so that he can force Matt to be a bone marrow donor for his eighteen-month-old son, who has leukemia."

He stared at her, his mouth dropping open. "Wow…"

"Yeah. Evan, my attorney, thinks he's bluffing on wanting full custody – that he's just asking for that as a thing to compromise with the judge on. He'll drop the full custody suit if the judge will grant him an injunction to force me to have Matt tested to see if he's a match."

"So, what're you gonna do?" he asked.

She smiled slightly. "Well, the joke's on him. I talked to Carlisle, his doctor, and Matt can't be a bone marrow donor because of his diabetes, which will be a plain confession from James that he's never had any contact with his son and that he has no idea of his health problems. Edward says it will actually work to my benefit now because the court will know where he is and be able to garnish his paycheck to start getting me child support. And if he tries to deny paternity, then he looks even more stupid for suing for full custody on a child he might try to deny is his. So, either way, I win," she said with a small grin.

Jake nodded his head. "So, you should be happy about that," he said, a curious expression on his face.

"I am."

"Bells, there's something else. What is it?"

Bella sighed. "I still can't stop thinking about this little boy…Matt's brother. At first, I was worried that if I blocked the motion to have Matt tested, then this kid could die. I know I should be happy that Matt's in the clear, but now I'm worried about this little boy."

"But what can you do?" Jake asked.

She shook her head. "I don't know. Nothing, I guess. But I just can't stop thinking about him."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Okay, I know what you're thinking… **_**Holy crap, another chapter so soon?! **_**Ta-da! Yes, here is another chapter, just in time for Christmas! As always, I want to give a shout out to my wonderful beta, Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar, and to my fantabulous ficwife, EternallyCullen. You ladies are awesome! We are winding things up, and this will soon be coming to an end! But we are not quite there yet, so without further ado…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Twilight, it all belongs to Stephenie Meyer, as I'm sure everyone knows! Merry Christmas!**

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><p>"Bella, calm down. Everything's going to be fine," Edward murmured in her ear as they took their seats in the courtroom.<p>

Evan leaned forward. "Bella, Edward's right. Carlisle is going to testify that Matthew is medically unable to be a donor, so he won't be put through any type of painful procedure, and with James here, we can get a court order for child support." He gave her a smile of encouragement.

She nodded nervously. "I know." The preceding days had been a nightmare for her. She'd been dreading the custody hearing for days, but now that the moment was at hand, she was anxious to get it over with. The door to the courtroom opened, and Bella looked up to see James walking into the room, a small boy in his arms and a short, plump woman following behind him. Her heart dropped into her stomach, and she felt slightly short of breath. His eyes met hers, and she was suddenly nauseated. A rage like she had never felt was quickly spreading through her, and she felt bile rise up in her throat.

"Bella?" Edward asked, concerned at the expression on her face. He glanced over at Charlie and saw a murderous glare on his face. Following their gazes, he looked over at whom he could only assume was James.

Pulling her gaze away, she stared toward the judge, whose nameplate said was Judge Thomas Payne, hoping to get this over with quickly. "I hope they hurry up," she whispered, refusing to allow herself to look in James's direction again.

As if on cue, the judge called their case. "Taylor verses Swan…custody hearing," he said loudly.

Evan stood up, and on shaking legs, Bella followed him down the aisle to the defendant's table.

"Is counsel present for Mr. Taylor?"

An older man was sitting at the opposite table with James beside him. "Here, Your Honor. Edgar Stratton," he replied, introducing himself.

"And for Ms. Swan?"

Evan stood up. "Yes, Your Honor."

"It looks as if Mr. James Taylor is seeking full custody of Matthew Swan on an emergent medical contingency. He claims that Matthew Swan is his biological son and that all of his communications with his mother, Ms. Isabella Swan, have been ignored. It also states his other son, Caleb Taylor, is suffering from life-threatening leukemia, and he wants Matthew to be tested to see if he is a viable candidate for a bone marrow transplant."

Bella felt her face flame in anger, and she bit her lower lip to stop herself from reacting. Evan shook his head at her infinitesimally.

"Counsel for the plaintiff… What is your opening statement?"

Edgar Stratton stood up, an open file in front of him. "Your Honor, my client has been trying for several years to speak with Ms. Swan, as he has always wanted a father-son relationship with his child, but she will not answer or return any of his calls. He's desperate to be involved in his son's life and unfortunately found no other route except through the courts at this time to establish paternity and gain the right to see his child. With the acute illness of his other son, we felt it was in Caleb Taylor's best interests to push the motion forward as quickly as we could, but Mr. Taylor's primary goal is to be able to see his son, Matthew."

Judge Payne looked back down at the file in front of him. "Counsel for the defendant, is your client agreeable to this?"

Evan stood up. "No, Your Honor."

"On what reasoning?"

"For several reasons, Your Honor. One, the very day that Ms. Swan informed Mr. Taylor of her pregnancy, he moved from the area with no forwarding contact information. Ms. Swan _did_ want Mr. Taylor to be involved in their son's life, but he changed his telephone number and left her without any information of his whereabouts. Her father, Forks Police Chief Swan, also attempted to locate him using his contacts, to no avail.

"Two, the child support division has also been attempting to locate Mr. Taylor since Matthew Swan was six months old. They have also been unable to locate him. Three, in the six years that Ms. Swan has been raising and supporting her son, Mr. Taylor has made no effort to provide him with any type of financial support. Ms. Swan has been raising her son completely alone, and Mr. Taylor was aware of the child and that he was the father."

The judge looked back down at his file and then looked sternly at James. "Mr. Taylor, when did Ms. Swan tell you about her pregnancy?"

James's face was pale, and when Bella finally looked over at him, she saw he was looking at the floor. "She didn't," he mumbled.

Judge Payne took his glasses off and stared at James more intently. "Mr. Taylor, may I remind you that you are under oath. If Ms. Swan did not inform you, then why did you leave Forks so suddenly the day she discovered she was expecting?"

Bella's heart jumped, and she finally allowed herself a sliver of hope.

"I-I had a…family emergency…" he stuttered, looking over at his attorney.

"What type of family emergency?" the judge asked him, flipping through the file on his desk.

James remained silent.

Looking up from his paperwork, Judge Payne gave him a hard stare. "Counselor, you may want to remind your client what perjury is."

Bella looked over as James's lawyer whispered something in his ear. Edgar Stratton stood up, his face flushed. She wondered if James had been honest with him or if he had told his lawyer the same bullshit he was trying to spout in the courtroom.

"Your Honor," his lawyer said, "my client is willing to drop the pursuit of full custody and allow Ms. Swan to remain the child's residential parent, if he can be granted joint custody with medical access. I assure you, Mr. Taylor wishes only to be able to develop a relationship with the boy."

Evan spoke up. "Your Honor, I have here copies of the documentation made by both the child support office and the Forks Police Department to locate Mr. Taylor. The child support office even searched income tax records, and they show no income taxes paid by Mr. Taylor since he worked in Forks. Obviously, he knew they would attempt to locate him and has refused to work anywhere that he could be traced. By his activities to avoid contact with any government authority or agency, it is blatantly obvious that he has tried to avoid any connection with Matthew Swan.

"And as has been stated, Mr. Taylor now has another child, and this child has been diagnosed with leukemia. Bone marrow donation from a sibling is a common and effective treatment for this leukemia, and based on the history of Mr. Taylor avoiding her child support requests, my client is fearful that the only reason Mr. Taylor has stepped forward at this time is to gain custody of her son, Matthew, to force him to be a bone marrow donor for his other child, not because he wishes to have any type of fatherly role in Matthew Swan's life."

Judge Payne flipped through more of the file. "Mr. Taylor, I see here that the Clallam County Child Support Division has been attempting to locate you for some time. I'm curious as to why you've been absent from this child's life when you've known about him for some time, and why you've only attempted to establish a relationship with him now."

"Y-Your Honor, I've tried to reach Bella many times, but she won't return my calls," James stammered.

"Where are you living now, Mr. Taylor?" the judge asked.

James looked over at his attorney, who nodded slightly. "Just outside of Portland…Oregon," he replied.

"Ms. Swan, how long have you lived in Forks?"

She had to clear her throat before she could make her voice work. "About seven years, Your Honor."

"Mr. Taylor, if you were so interested in having a relationship with your son and Ms. Swan wouldn't answer or return your calls, why did you not come to Forks to speak with her in person? She's lived here since before your son was born, and her father is a prominent member of the community, so she would easily have been found."

James blanched. "M-My son, Caleb, has been very sick, and his medical bills are huge. I-I couldn't afford to drive up here…" He trailed off.

Thomas Payne leaned back in his chair. "So, what I'm hearing is that you _do_ want to be involved in Matthew Swan's life, correct?"

He nodded, and Bella chewed on her lip nervously.

"And now that you and Ms. Swan have located each other, that shouldn't be a problem?"

James answered, "No, Your Honor."

Smiling slightly, he nodded. "Good. So, you paying her child support will also be done?"

At this, James paled again. "Uh… My son's medical bills cost so much…" he mumbled.

"And how do you think Ms. Swan manages? Mr. Taylor, you've only mentioned your younger son and his medical issues you are dealing with. Are you aware of the medical issues Matthew Swan has? Or how expensive his medical care is that Ms. Swan is having to handle on her own?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Bella saw Evan smile smugly. Inside, she was jumping in excitement. She finally felt justice might be done for Matt.

James only mutely shook his head.

"Mr. Bradshaw has also brought up an important point. If you _are_ granted joint custody – and make no mistake, Mr. Taylor, I have no inclination to award you sole custody – then you will have the legal right to be involved in Matthew Swan's healthcare decisions, which could include him being a bone marrow donor for your other son. Mr. Taylor, is that the only reason you've come out of the woodwork? To see if Matthew Swan can be a donor for your son?"

Edgar Stratton opened his mouth, but then closed it without speaking. Bella was now doing mental cartwheels.

"Your Honor, I'd like to call Matthew Swan's physician, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, to the stand. He has some medical information that's relevant to this subject," Evan said.

Once the judge nodded, Carlisle walked forward serenely and was sworn in by the bailiff.

"Dr. Cullen," Evan said, "can you explain to the court Matthew Swan's medical condition?"

Carlisle nodded. "Of course. Matthew Swan was diagnosed with Type I juvenile diabetes when he was around the age of two. From reading his prior medical records, I believe he was a diabetic soon after birth, but he wasn't officially diagnosed until later. His blood sugars are very brittle and hard to control, and he has been hospitalized multiple times due to this. I took over as his primary physician a few months ago due to Ms. Swan not getting adequate care from his other doctor. I then had Matthew transferred to Seattle Children's Hospital, where he was seen by a colleague of mine, Dr. Taplin, who is a pediatric endocrinologist."

"And with these medical issues, is Matthew Swan a candidate to be tested to see if he is a compatible match with Mr. Taylor's son, who is battling leukemia?" Evan asked.

"No, he is _not_. Years of medical research shows that patients with Type I diabetes cannot be bone marrow donors. So, even if Mr. Taylor was granted joint custody and able to have him tested, his medical condition contraindicates this."

Evan sat down behind the table. "Thank you, Dr. Cullen."

He waved at James's attorney to allow him to cross examine him, but the man just shook his head. Bella thought he looked perturbed. She wondered what all James had told him that he was now finding was a lie.

"You may step down, Dr. Cullen," Judge Payne said, and Carlisle quietly walked back to sit behind Bella. "Counselor, is there anything else you or your client would like to bring to the court's attention before I make my ruling?"

Edgar Stratton leaned over to whisper in James's ear. Bella saw James shake his head slightly, his expression unreadable. While she was jubilant that all seemed to finally be going in her favor, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for Caleb Taylor. She knew how James was feeling at seeing his last hope dashed before his eyes. Even though she hated him for what he had done to her and Matt, she still never wished for any parent to go through what he was suffering. She looked over at who she assumed with Caleb's mother, and her facial expression looked defeated. Bella could identify with that emotion, and even though she knew she would not have to put her son through an unnecessary painful procedure, she found herself wishing there was something she could do to help that innocent child. It wasn't his fault that his father was a selfish prick.

"Your Honor, at this point, my client would prefer to just sign his parental rights over and terminate the custody hearing," his attorney said quietly.

Judge Payne looked at him with contempt. "Half an hour ago, your client wanted full custody. Now he wants nothing?"

"My client is unable to pay child support on Matthew Swan due to his primary son's huge medical bills as he's being treated for leukemia."

"Then why did he start this entire process to begin with?"

Edgar Stratton looked very uncomfortable. "He thought that if his son, Matthew Swan, could donate healthy bone marrow to cure his son, Caleb Taylor, then he wouldn't have the staggering medical bills and would be able to pay child support. But now, a transplant is an impossibility per his doctor, so my client and his wife will have to continue to cover their son's treatments."

Bella felt her blood boil in rage. Even though they had all known that was James's ultimate plan all along, hearing it spoken aloud was still like a punch to her gut. James didn't care about Matthew at all; he only wanted him to save his _primary_ son. To James, Matthew was dispensable. She clenched her hands, her fingernails biting into her palms.

The judge sighed. "Mr. Bradshaw, do you have any further information you or Ms. Swan would like to include in your deposition?"

Suddenly, Bella saw Edward stand up out of the corner of her eye. She turned around to look at him, her mouth open in shock.

"Your Honor, may I say something?" Edward asked.

Bella's mouth had gone dry. His perfection and beauty always took her breath away, and today, standing in the courtroom in his navy suit and gray tie, he looked as if he'd just come from a photo shoot.

"And you are?" Judge Payne asked.

"I'm Edward Cullen. Bella Swan is my girlfriend, and I've spent a lot of time with Matthew. I love him as if he were my own biological child. And I want the court to know that if Mr. Taylor wishes to sign his parental rights over, then I am more than willing to step in and adopt Matthew Swan as my son and provide him with full financial and medical support." When he looked down at Bella, she could see that he was trying to convey his sincerity to her.

She was speechless. Edward's announcement had come completely out of left field, but she found herself imagining life with Edward as Matt's father. Someone to love him. Someone to help care for him.A real man in his life to be a role model… She looked up at the judge anxiously, hoping that he would consider it.

Once again, Edward, her knight in shining armor, had stepped forward to save her and her Matthew.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Hmmm… What can I say, other than I have been totally blocked for a while! The sad part is I knew where this chapter was going to go, but I just couldn't get it on paper. Not to mention, real life has been a real pain in the ass lately! So, this chapter is short, but hopefully the next one is on its way soon! Thank you all for the lovely reviews you have left me… They make me want to get this story done for you all! And it will be finished!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to **_**Twilight**_** except for my well-worn books and DVDs. Matthew is mine, however, everything else belongs to Stephenie Meyer.**

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><p>The judge sighed. "Mr. Bradshaw, do you have any further information you or Ms. Swan would like to include in your deposition?"<p>

Suddenly, Bella saw Edward stand up out of the corner of her eye. She turned around to look at him, her mouth open in shock.

"Your honor, may I say something?" Edward asked.

Bella's mouth had gone dry. His perfection and beauty always took her breath away, and today, standing in the courtroom in his navy suit and gray tie, he looked as if he'd just come from a photo shoot.

"And you are?" Judge Payne asked.

"I'm Edward Cullen. Bella Swan is my girlfriend, and I've spent a lot of time with Matthew. I love him as if he were my own biological child. And I want the court to know that if Mr. Taylor wishes to sign his parental rights over, then I am more than willing to step in and adopt Matthew Swan as my son and provide him with full financial and medical support." When he looked down at Bella, she could see that he was trying to convey his sincerity to her.

She was speechless. Edward's announcement had come completely out of left field, but she found herself imagining life with Edward as Matt's father. Someone to love him. Someone to help care for him.A real man in his life to be a role model… She looked up at the judge anxiously, hoping that he would consider it.

Once again, Edward, her knight in shining armor, had stepped forward to save her and Matthew.

Judge Payne pulled his glasses from his face and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Ms. Swan, is this something your attorney has discussed with Mr. Taylor's attorney?"

She shook her head. "No, your Honor."

He flipped through a few more pages of the file in front of him. "And this arrangement would be a satisfactory conclusion for you?"

Bella's mouth was dry, and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. "Y-Yes, sir." She felt as if she would burst from joy.

The judge wrote a few things in the file before closing it and handing it to the clerical assistant on his right. "Reset this case for one month. That should give Mr. Bradshaw enough time to draw up the adoption paperwork and Mr. Stratton to draw up the termination papers. Next case!"

Bella stood on wobbly legs and gathered her purse up before following her attorney out of the courtroom. She stood with him in the hallway, waiting for Edward, Dr. Cullen and her father. She looked to her left and saw James standing with his wife and son, his attorney obviously aggravated with him.

"– believe you weren't honest with me! You're lucky you weren't thrown in jail!" He pushed his thinning brown hair back absentmindedly.

"I'm sorry," James said so quietly that Bella had to strain to hear. "I didn't know what else to do. I was desperate."

Before she could stop herself, she was walking toward them. "James, can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked softly.

He would not meet her eyes. "Uh… I guess." He looked at his wife uncertainly.

She waited for a moment before speaking again. While her nerves were jagged, she took a deep breath and forced herself to smile at the woman standing beside him, not wanting them to know how nervous she was. "Hi. I'm Bella. And you are…?"

The woman looked at her shocked. "I-I'm Victoria Taylor."

Bella smiled at the young boy in her arms. He looked chronically ill. "And this must be Caleb?"

James looked at her warily. "Yes, it is."

The more she talked, the stronger she felt, so she kept going. "When was he diagnosed with leukemia?" she asked. She felt, rather than saw, Edward walk up and stand behind her. The warmth of his hand on her shoulder was reassuring.

"A year ago. He's been through three different chemotherapy treatments, but none of them worked. The doctors say a bone marrow transplant is his only chance. Without it, he'll probably die within six months."

Bella looked at James and Victoria and felt nothing but compassion. She understood how it felt to know such a terrible fear. She knew how it felt to be so helpless while wanting nothing more than to move mountains to save your child. "I'm sorry," she said simply, and she meant it. This was nothing she would wish on her worst enemy – who was actually standing right in front of her.

James shrugged. "I guess I deserve this after what I did to you."

She stared up at him shocked and felt the pressure of Edward giving her a squeeze. "I-I don't…" She trailed off, not sure what to say. "No… No one deserves this, James," she said stoutly.

He looked up at her with surprise on his face. Suddenly, his face paled.

Bella turned around at the sound of her father approaching. "Everything all right, Bells?" Charlie asked coldly, staring at James.

She saw his right hand twitch toward his belt where his service gun always was when he was in uniform. She was grateful he was in civilian clothing today. "Everything's fine, Dad. Don't worry." She jerked her head slightly, trying to tell him to go back to the other end of the hallway.

Charlie continued to glare at James. "You sure, honey?"

"Yes," she replied, slightly exasperated.

"Okay," he growled. "But I'm right down here if you need me."

She smiled at him slightly. "Okay, thanks, Dad."

Charlie gave James one last drop-dead look before he turned and walked back down the hall to stand with Evan. Bella could feel his gaze on her, and she tried to control the flush that she knew would color her face.

"Sorry about that," she mumbled. She smiled softly at Caleb and melted a bit when he gave her a shy grin back. It was not his fault his father was a total jackass.

"'S'okay," James murmured. "I figured it would be much worse." He took a deep breath and straightened up to look her in the eye. "Bella, I really am sorry about everything. I know I'll never be able to convince you of that, but I am."

Bella was taken aback by his seemingly genuine apology. She felt tears prick her eyelids as a plethora of emotions all rushed to the surface, so she just nodded and tried to get her raging emotions under control. After a few moments, she spoke. "Were you serious in there? About signing your rights over?"

He nodded. "I just don't know what else to do. I won't be able to pay for Caleb's treatment if I have to start paying you child support, and I know that sound awful, but it's the truth. I know what that makes me, but if it saves Caleb, I don't care what anyone thinks of me," he said in a rush.

"I know," she said, surprising everyone, especially herself. "I know how it feels to be willing to do anything to save your son. I feel the same way about Matthew, and I've almost lost him several times."

"Will you agree to it, Bella? I promise, I won't cause any more trouble for you and Matthew. I'll disappear from the face of the Earth, and you'll never hear a word out of me again."

Bella bit her lower lip and looked at him thoughtfully. She turned her head and looked up into Edward's emerald green eyes. Then, before she could stop herself, she turned back to James and said, "No."

"Bella?" Edward asked sharply. "What are you doing?"

James blanched. "Bella…please…"

"No, I don't want you to disappear. Caleb is Matthew's brother, and I want him to have the opportunity to get to know him." She had been thinking about this ever since she had learned about James's younger son, and when she spoke the words, she realized she meant them.

She ignored her father's look of astonishment from down the hallway and gave James a hard look. "I accept your offer to terminate your rights. I know that will make it easier on everyone, but I am _not_ going to be the person to keep Matthew away from his only biological sibling."

Victoria looked at her with wide eyes and clutched Caleb tighter.

James opened and closed his mouth several times before speaking. "Bella… I-I know what you're saying, but Caleb is out of options and doesn't have more than six months…" His voice broke, and he blinked back tears.

"He has to have a bone marrow transplant," she said matter-of-factly.

He nodded. "Yes, but now that Matthew can't be a donor, we're out of options. This was our last hope."

Bella looked back at Edward briefly before reaching back and squeezing his hand. "I'll do it. I'll be his donor."

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes: So Bella has had a sudden change of heart it seems… You all didn't really think she would be so heartless as to let a poor child suffer, did you? She just has a lot of anger toward James to work through, but she's made great progress! And if you are wondering about James, having to deal with a terminally ill child will change your perspective about <strong>_**everything**_**, so maybe we can cut him a break… Of course, Edward could still give him a good punch in the nose! What do you think?**


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